Republican U.S. Rep. Rob Bresnahan and Democratic challenger Paige Cognetti discussed the war in Iran, data center regulations, and energy policy during a debate on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026. The event, hosted by WVIA News, served as the only debate for Pennsylvania’s 8th Congressional District ahead of the Nov. 3 election.
The 8th Congressional District is currently rated as a toss-up by the nonpartisan Cook Political Report. Cognetti has served as the mayor of Scranton, Pennsylvania, since 2020, while Bresnahan is the Republican incumbent. The debate took place as Decision Desk HQ forecasts Cognetti is narrowly favored to win the seat.
During the debate, Cognetti questioned the transparency of military operations in Iran, stating that the American people deserve answers regarding munitions depletion and service member safety. She noted that Bresnahan had voted for the operation six times, including as recently as September. Bresnahan stated that the war has gone "far too long," said he does not support "boots on the ground," and called for the conflict to end. He advocated for domestic natural gas and energy production to reduce dependence on Middle East oil.
The candidates also addressed the expansion of data centers in northeastern Pennsylvania. Cognetti argued that developers, local union labor, and end-user tech companies must be part of public negotiations, noting that some sites like Berwick could work if "the table has to be set properly." Bresnahan pointed to his introduction of the Local Control Protection Act, which he said would return decision-making to local communities. He also noted that a data center ordinance has remained before the Scranton City Council for eight months without action.
The regulatory framework for data centers will determine how much authority local governments in northeastern Pennsylvania have over technology developments. Residents may see changes in local zoning ordinances or federal oversight depending on whether Bresnahan’s Local Control Protection Act or Cognetti’s preferred multi-party negotiation model is adopted. Furthermore, the debate touched on the future of healthcare, as Bresnahan highlighted his support for a petition to vote on extending Affordable Care Act subsidies.
The election will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. This contest is one of several toss-up races that will determine the partisan balance of the U.S. House of Representatives. While Decision Desk HQ forecasts Cognetti is narrowly favored, the final result will depend on voter turnout in a district where nonpartisan analysts see no clear favorite. Following the election, the winner will be seated in the next session of Congress to address the legislative priorities discussed during the campaign.