Former Democrat congressman Matthew Cartwright has reportedly decided not to run in 2026 to try to reclaim his congressional seat in Pennsylvania.
Democrats had contemplated recruiting the six-term ex-congressman to try to unseat freshman Rep. Rob Bresnahan, R-Pa., who ousted Cartwright in last November’s election. That race was decided by fewer than 7,000 votes. Bresnahan represents Pennsylvania’s 8th Congressional District, which includes the historically Democrat city of Scranton—the adopted hometown of former President Joe Biden—and the rural regions of Wayne, Pike, and Lackawanna counties.
Bresnahan is a graduate of the Jesuit-run University of Scranton, where he was a member of the golf team. He serves on the House Agriculture, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Small Business committees.
The 2026 midterms are shaping up to be a fierce battle between Republicans and Democrats. Historically, the party in the White House and in power in Congress fares poorly in off-presidential year elections, but Republicans have nevertheless pressed ahead with ambitious fundraising.
Pennsylvania’s 8th Congressional District is widely viewed as a swing district with a majority of residents rejecting Republican challengers to Cartwright in 2018, 2020, and 2022, although the Democrat congressman’s support as a percentage of the total votes cast continuously declined during those three elections.
With Cartwright bowing out of a potential rematch, the tradition of prominent national Democrat politicians with ties to Scranton appears to have ended. That list, arguably at its peak in 2012, included then-Vice President Biden, then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (her father was raised in Scranton), and former Sen. Bob Casey Jr., D-Pa.
Clinton lost her bid to become the first female president to Donald Trump in 2016. Biden famously had to bow out of his 2024 presidential reelection campaign after a catastrophic debate performance against Trump. And in the red wave that swept Pennsylvania in 2024, Casey lost his reelection bid to former hedge fund executive Dave McCormick.
The Daily Signal reached out to Cartwright to try to confirm the Punchbowl report, but did not hear back.
This article was originally published at www.dailysignal.com
