Rob Bresnahan

Rob Bresnahan
Born	Robert Paul Bresnahan Jr. 22 04, 1990
Birthplace	Kingston, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician, businessman
Known for	U.S. Representative for Pennsylvania's 8th congressional district
Education	University of Scranton (BA)
Website	[[bresnahan.house.gov bresnahan.house.gov] Official site]

Robert Paul Bresnahan Jr. (born April 22, 1990), known as Rob Bresnahan, is an American politician and businessman serving as the U.S. representative for Pennsylvania's 8th congressional district since January 3, 2025. A member of the Republican Party, Bresnahan defeated longtime Democratic incumbent Matt Cartwright in the 2024 general election, flipping the seat to Republican control. Before entering politics, Bresnahan was a businessman in northeastern Pennsylvania, where he served as chief executive officer of a family-owned construction company and invested in local economic development projects in the Pittston area. At age 34 when he took office, Bresnahan became one of the younger members of the 119th United States Congress. He represents a district spanning much of northeastern Pennsylvania, a region shaped by its industrial heritage and shifting political allegiances.

Early Life

Robert Paul Bresnahan Jr. was born on April 22, 1990, in Kingston, Pennsylvania, a borough in Luzerne County situated across the Susquehanna River from Wilkes-Barre. He grew up in the northeastern Pennsylvania region, an area historically defined by coal mining, manufacturing, and a strong working-class identity. Bresnahan's family had roots in the local construction industry, which would later play a central role in shaping his career trajectory.

Bresnahan was raised in a community where small business ownership and trades-based employment formed the backbone of the local economy. The greater Wilkes-Barre and Scranton metropolitan area, where he spent his formative years, experienced economic challenges in the late 20th and early 21st centuries as traditional industries declined, themes that would later feature prominently in his political messaging.

Education

Bresnahan attended the University of Scranton, a private Jesuit university located in Scranton, Pennsylvania. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the institution. During his time at the University of Scranton, Bresnahan was a member of the men's golf team, competing in intercollegiate athletics as a student-athlete. His education at the Scranton-based university kept him rooted in the northeastern Pennsylvania community where he would go on to build his business career and, eventually, his political career.

Career

Business Career

Before entering politics, Bresnahan established himself as a businessman in northeastern Pennsylvania, primarily in the construction industry. He became the chief executive officer of Kuharchik Construction, a family-owned electrical construction company. A 2021 profile in the Citizens' Voice highlighted Bresnahan's role leading the construction business at a notably young age, emphasizing the challenges and responsibilities of assuming executive leadership of an established firm while still in his early thirties.

Under Bresnahan's leadership, Kuharchik Construction attracted attention from outside investors. CAI Funds, a private equity firm, announced the partnership with Kuharchik Construction as part of the first close of its seventh fund, with Midwestern Electric as an intermediary entity in the transaction. The deal signaled the growth and market viability of the company under Bresnahan's stewardship.

Beyond his work with Kuharchik Construction, Bresnahan was involved in economic development efforts in the Pittston, Pennsylvania, area. He invested in local businesses and development projects in the city, contributing to what the Pittston Sunday Dispatch described as a period of revitalization in the community. The Citizens' Voice reported in January 2023 that Pittston experienced a surge in new businesses, and Bresnahan's investments were noted as part of this broader trend of commercial growth in the area.

2024 Congressional Campaign

Bresnahan entered the race for Pennsylvania's 8th congressional district as the Republican nominee in the 2024 election cycle, challenging five-term Democratic incumbent Matt Cartwright. The 8th district, which was reconfigured during the 2022 redistricting cycle, encompasses a large swath of northeastern Pennsylvania including portions of Luzerne, Lackawanna, Monroe, Pike, and Wayne counties, among others.

The race between Bresnahan and Cartwright was closely watched at the national level, with political analysts identifying the district as one of the most competitive House contests in the country. Cartwright had held the seat since 2013 and had survived previous competitive challenges, but the district's political composition had shifted, with voter registration trends increasingly favoring Republicans in parts of the region.

Bresnahan's campaign emphasized his background as a local businessman and job creator, drawing on his experience running Kuharchik Construction and his investments in the Pittston area as evidence of his commitment to the region's economic growth. The Times-Tribune of Scranton provided extensive coverage of the campaign, documenting the contest's trajectory and key moments.

On November 5, 2024, Bresnahan defeated Cartwright, flipping the seat from Democratic to Republican control. Bloomberg News reported the result as part of a broader pattern of Republican gains in competitive House districts during the 2024 elections. ABC27 News also reported on Bresnahan's victory claim on election night. The official results were certified by the Pennsylvania Department of State.

U.S. House of Representatives

Bresnahan was sworn into office on January 3, 2025, as part of the 119th United States Congress. He succeeded Matt Cartwright as the representative for Pennsylvania's 8th congressional district.

Committee Assignments

Bresnahan was appointed to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, a committee assignment relevant to his district's infrastructure needs and his background in the construction industry.

Legislative Activities and District Work

During his first term, Bresnahan engaged in a range of legislative and constituent service activities. His congressional office solicited community project funding requests, including a proposal to allocate $1,000,000 for an Early Childhood Care Learning Center in Kingston, Pennsylvania, to be operated by the Jewish Community Alliance of Northeastern Pennsylvania.

In February 2026, Bresnahan's office announced that he and Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday co-hosted a public safety roundtable in Scranton. The event included law enforcement officials and resulted in the announcement of $500,000 in funding for the Scranton Police Department.

Ahead of the 2026 State of the Union address, Bresnahan announced that his guest would be Lisa Chervanka, a nurse at Regional Hospital of Scranton. The invitation was intended to highlight healthcare workers in his district.

Political Positions and Controversies

Bresnahan's voting record during his first term attracted both support and criticism from various interest groups and political organizations. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) criticized Bresnahan for voting in favor of legislation that the organization contended would result in significant cuts to Medicaid funding for Pennsylvania hospitals and health clinics, estimating the impact at approximately $20 billion. The DCCC asserted that such cuts could threaten the viability of healthcare facilities in the district.

On the issue of congressional stock trading, Bresnahan's financial disclosures revealed purchases of government bonds and treasury notes. Investing.com reported that he engaged in substantial bond and treasury note purchases, drawing attention to the broader debate over financial transparency requirements for members of Congress. The New York Times covered the broader congressional debate over stock trading bans, a discussion in which Bresnahan's disclosures were noted.

Labor Endorsements

Despite being a Republican, Bresnahan received a notable endorsement from the Pennsylvania Laborers' District Council (LIUNA) for his re-election campaign. The endorsement from a major labor union was reported by The River Reporter and reflected Bresnahan's efforts to build cross-partisan support in a district with a significant union workforce.

2026 Re-election Campaign

By early 2026, Bresnahan's re-election campaign was already underway. The DCCC announced investments in the campaign of Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti, a Democrat seeking to challenge Bresnahan for the 8th district seat. The Scranton Times-Tribune reported that Cognetti would receive support from the national Democratic campaign apparatus, signaling that the district would again be a competitive battleground in the 2026 midterm elections.

Letters to the editor in local publications reflected the range of constituent opinions about Bresnahan's representation. The River Reporter published a letter from a constituent expressing support for Bresnahan's re-election, arguing that a representative need not have been born in the district to effectively serve its residents.

Personal Life

Bresnahan resides in Dallas Township, Pennsylvania, in the Back Mountain region of Luzerne County. His ties to northeastern Pennsylvania are long-standing, having been born in Kingston and educated at the University of Scranton. Before entering Congress, his primary professional identity was rooted in the construction and business community of the greater Wilkes-Barre and Pittston area.