Local businessman Rob Bresnahan announced that he is a candidate for the Republican nomination for the 8th Congressional District seat, currently held by Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-08).

The 33-year-old fifth-generation native of Luzerne County is the CEO of Kuharchik Construction – the area’s niche market in traffic signal construction, street scape lighting, as well as many other high voltage electrical applications – and also founded RPB Ventures to invest back into the local communities.

“I’m running for Congress because I care deeply about Northeastern Pennsylvania,” said Bresnahan. “I was born, raised, educated, and built a business right here, this is the community I love. For too long politicians in DC have failed to deliver for our families. I’m running to be the next generation of leadership our region deserves and to fight for our future.”

A business administration, management and operations major and four-year letterwinner in golf at the University of Scranton, he is a member of the board of directors of the Penn-Del-Jersey chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association.

“National Republicans are excited about Bresnahan’s candidacy,” said a GOP political operative familiar with party thinking. “Based on his deep roots in the district and background building a successful business, they think he has the right profile to mount the strongest challenge to Cartwright.”

Pennsylvania’s 8th District is comprised of Lackawanna, Luzerne (partial), Monroe (partial), Pike, and Wayne Counties, forming the northeast corner of Pennsylvania. The district is rated as an R+3 with President Trump winning it in both 2016 and 2020. Both parties have identified this district as one of the most important in the nation for control of the House of Representatives in 2024.

Cartwright, 62, won reelection for the fifth time in 2022, defeating GOP challenger Jim Bognet by 7,000 votes.

updated with quote from GOP