The second quarter fundraising totals are out and the 8th Congressional District race for the U.S. House of Representatives promises to be as tight as it was in 2020.
Incumbent Democrat Matt Cartwright pulled in $826,476.11 from April 1 to June 30 and has $2.73 million cash on hand entering the year’s second half.
Republican challenger Jim Bognet brought in $516,476.43 From April 28 to June 30 and has a bank account of over $580,000 heading to the general election.
Cartwright’s 596-page filing with the Federal Election Commission shows that he spent just under $190,000 in the last quarter. He picked up a pair of $5,000 checks from the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers and the Aluminum Association PAC. The National Confectioners Association and American Land Title Association PACs each kicked in $2,900.
There were 243 gifts sent through ActBlue of the 455 total receipts. Cartwright also has an outstanding debt of $242,800.
Bognet’s 232-page filing shows that he spent just shy of $402,000 in the last quarter due in part to his primary campaign against Mike Marsicano to win the GOP nomination. He received 10 gifts over $2,900, including two apiece from James R. Bognet and Jennifer Bognet – CEO and Executive VP, respectively, of Bognet Construction, and John Valerio, a restaurant owner. Bognet received 28 gifts through WinRed of the 113 total donations to his campaign.
“I am so thankful for the 2,700+ donors that have stepped up and contributed at a record level,” said Bognet in a press release. “The message is clear: Pennsylvanians are rejecting the Biden/Pelosi/Cartwright reckless spending and anti-American energy policies that have devastated working class Pennsylvanians. November is coming, and Matt Cartwright is going!”
Cartwright, shooting for his sixth term in D.C., defeated Bognet, who served in former President Donald Trump’s administration, by four points in 2020.
The race is considered a toss-up by three different national prognosticators – Sabato’s Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia Center for Politics, the Cook Political Report, and FiveThirtyEight.com.
The 8th District consists of Lackawanna, Pike and Wayne Counties and parts of Luzerne and Monroe Counties.
updated to reflect Bognet’s July quarterly report from April 28-June 30.
3 Responses
I am a Dem. Thinking about voting for Bognet. However, 195 republicans who just voted to tell both my wife and I what we can do in our bedroom just gave me a preview of what life will be like with a republican congress.
Stay the F**k out of my private life! Vote blue!
The toxic campaign of Mastriano will derail Team Bognet. To have as Governor of Pa candidate in your party claim to have Jesus on speed dial and be associated with less than optimal religious groups as was recently mentioned in this media outlet has to drag Bognet down as the toxic top of any political ticket would as this is politics 101.
GOP obsession with $$ continues. Must translate to bought votes.