Paige Cognetti won. Get what Paige Cognetti says in office by email, analyzed for rhetorical techniques, once sworn in. And an email if the result changes: a recount or a call reversed. One-click unsubscribe.
Confirming also makes your free Semblen account, with a 14-day Pro trial. No card.
126 ads analyzed · 69 use a rhetorical technique, most often loaded language and name calling.
The words doing the persuading
From the Bresnahan side · Paid for by CONGRESSIONAL LEADERSHIP FUND“…city”
“I would love to lower all of our taxes, I can't promise that.”
As Cognetti’s love for power grows – so do your taxes.”Loaded LanguageSee this ad →
From the Cognetti side · Paid for by DCCC“Corrupt Congressman Rob Bresnahan bought data center stock, while he pushed to build them in our…”Loaded LanguageSee this ad →
Rob Bresnahan (Republican) and Paige Cognetti (Democrat) are the nominees for Pennsylvania's 8th congressional district in the November 3, 2026 general election. Rob Bresnahan is the incumbent. By their latest FEC reports, Rob Bresnahan's campaign had raised $6.5 million (through October 14, 2026) and Paige Cognetti's campaign $7.5 million (through October 14, 2026). Outside groups have reported $1.2 million for Rob Bresnahan and $8.5 million against; $2.0 million for Paige Cognetti and $6.5 million against. Semblen has analyzed 126 ads in this race; 69 used at least one rhetorical technique, most often loaded language and name calling.
Rob Bresnahan (REP, incumbent), Paige Cognetti (DEM).
126 ads analyzed, 69 with at least one technique in the copy.
Newest first. The paid-for-by line is the advertiser's own filing. Updated 2026-11-06. 1 ad from other advertisers shown separately below.
No early voting (No early in-person voting; in-person mail ballot at county office once ballots are ready.)Source: pa.gov ↗
By mail
Anyone can vote by mail; request a ballot by Tue, Oct 27 (Application must be received by the county.); return it by Tue, Nov 3 (Received by the county election office by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day; postmarks do not count.) (passed)Source: pa.gov ↗Source: pa.gov ↗
Checked October 8, 2026. Rules can change; confirm with the official site before you go.
Something wrong or out of date? Tell us
A person reads every report and fixes errors the same day.
Got a political text?
Paste a campaign text message you’ve received. Semblen marks the persuasion techniques in its wording and lists the factual claims it makes. Take your name out first: what you paste is analyzed and kept like any text.
Findings
As of 2026-11-06. Counts are of distinct ads; the same text run many times is one ad.
Ads analyzed
126 · started running between 2026-07-09 and 2026-11-05
A small box with these findings and the newest ads, updated as new ads are analyzed. Free for newsrooms, blogs and campaigns alike; it links back here.
Follow Paige Cognetti in office
Paige Cognetti won. Get what Paige Cognetti says in office by email, analyzed for rhetorical techniques, once sworn in. And an email if the result changes: a recount or a call reversed. One-click unsubscribe.
Confirming also makes your free Semblen account, with a 14-day Pro trial. No card.
Each side is the campaign plus the groups backing it. How a group is placed is explained below the table.
Side
Ads
With at least one technique
Most common
Bresnahan (R)
35
27 of 35 (77%)
Name Calling (12), Glittering Generalities (9), Appeal to Fear (8)
Bresnahan's campaign
12
7 of 12 (58%)
Appeal to Fear (3), Glittering Generalities (3), Loaded Language (2)
3 groups backing Bresnahan
23
20 of 23 (87%)
Name Calling (10), Glittering Generalities (6), Loaded Language (6)
Cognetti (D)
45
19 of 45 (42%)
Loaded Language (13), Exaggeration/Hyperbole (5), Glittering Generalities (5)
Cognetti's campaign
14
7 of 14 (50%)
Loaded Language (5), Glittering Generalities (3), Exaggeration/Hyperbole (2)
11 groups backing Cognetti
31
12 of 31 (39%)
Loaded Language (8), Exaggeration/Hyperbole (3), Name Calling (3)
Not placed on a side (15 sponsors)
46
23 of 46 (50%)
Loaded Language (12), Glittering Generalities (8), Exaggeration/Hyperbole (6)
Read this before comparing the sides. Ads that attack an opponent use these techniques far more often than ads that introduce a candidate, whoever runs them, so the side running more attack ads shows a higher share. A technique is about wording, not about whether an ad is true. These are online ads only (Meta and YouTube), not television.
How a group is placed: by its own filings with the Federal Election Commission. A group is with a candidate when it reported spending to support that candidate, or to oppose the other one in the general election. The parties' own committees are with their nominee. Spending against a candidate in a primary places a group nowhere, and neither does our reading of its ads: a group with no such filing is listed as not placed. The sponsor table gives the reason for each.
Decide what counts
Not everyone would call every technique a problem. Untick the ones you'd call ordinary persuasion and the count updates.
55% of the 126 ads here use at least one of the techniques ticked below (69 ads).
Leaving out the softer ones (loaded language, glittering generalities, slogans, exaggeration, repetition): 34% of ads.
The words doing the work
The words that show up most in phrases our model flagged as loaded language or name calling in this race's ads, by number of ads.
socialistin 8 ads· e.g. “Socialist Dream Team”, “Paige Cognetti and the socialists”
familyin 5 ads· e.g. “voted to rob families of Medicaid”, “puts NEPA families last”
dream teamin 4 ads· e.g. “Socialist Dream Team”, “the Socialist Dream Team”
socialist dreamin 4 ads· e.g. “Socialist Dream Team”, “the Socialist Dream Team”
taxin 4 ads· e.g. “ripped away the tax credits”, “just to give billionaires another tax cut”
corruptin 3 ads· e.g. “corrupt local Democratic machine”, “Corrupt”
health carein 3 ads· e.g. “taking a wrecking ball to our health care”, “took a wrecking ball to our health care”
illegalin 3 ads· e.g. “Illegals”, “illegals”
Semblen is free to read and has no ads. If this page was useful, you can support it.
Money in this race
From FEC filings for 2025–26. Outside spending is money a group spends on its own about a candidate — TV and online ads, mail, canvassing. It is not a donation to the campaign, and the candidate does not control it. Supporting means it was spent to help that candidate win; Opposing means it was spent to defeat them, usually on attack ads. Groups report it within 24 or 48 hours as the election nears. Raised is the campaign's own fundraising, as of its latest quarterly report. Largest donors come from each outside spender's own FEC receipts, with each donor's share of its itemized receipts; donors under $100,000 are not named. People are shown with the employer and occupation they reported. A donor that is itself a political committee is shown with its own largest donors. Companies and nonprofits don't report their funders to the FEC, so the trail ends there, and the page says so.
Rob Bresnahan (REP, incumbent)
Raised
$6.5M through 2026-10-14individuals $2.5M · PACs $1.7M · party $10K · candidate's own money, incl. loans $60K · from the candidate's other committees $2.3M · cash on hand $733K
HMP— $4.8M opposing Bresnahan
· 3 ads on this pageLargest donors:
HOUSE MAJORITY FORWARD $93.7M (39%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC); Reid G Hoffman $8.5M (4%), Greylock Partners, Partner; ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY FUND $5.0M (2%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC); Fred Eychaner $5.0M (2%), Retired; UNITED ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ISSUES FUND $4.8M (2%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC)GIFFORDS PAC— $887K opposing BresnahanLargest donors:
GIFFORDS $4.5M (57%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC); JAMES L. GUTHRIE TRUST $571K (7%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC); WARFEL, EDWARD $497K (6%); HOUSE MAJORITY PAC $100K (1%)TOMORROW TOGETHER— $844K opposing BresnahanAB PAC— $751K opposing Bresnahan
· 6 ads on this pageLargest donors:
AB FOUNDATION $13.0M (30%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC); DEMOCRACY MATTERS $5.6M (13%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC); Deborah Simon $5.0M (11%), Retired; DEMOCRACY PAC $4.0M (9%); Lynn S Stern $1.0M (2%), Self Employed, PhotographerAMERICA FIRST AGRICULTURE ACTION INC.— $360K supporting BresnahanLargest donors:
VISION MANAGEMENT SERVICES LLC $2.5M (19%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC); TRULIEVE INC $2.5M (19%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC); CURALEAF INC. $2.5M (19%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC); VERANO HOLDINGS LLC $2.5M (19%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC); AMERICAN RIGHTS AND REFORM PAC, INC. $1.5M (12%)and 22 more
SAFETY & AFFORDABILITY PAC INC.— $2.8M opposing CognettiCLF— $2.4M opposing Cognetti
· 8 ads on this pageLargest donors:
AMERICAN ACTION NETWORK $64.3M (25%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC); Elon Musk $30.0M (12%), Space Exploration Technologies Corp., CEO; Timothy Mellon $21.0M (8%), Self-Employed, Investments; Miriam Adelson $10.0M (4%), Adelson Drug Clinic, Physician; Paul E Singer $8.0M (3%), EMC, PresidentCFFE PAC— $541K supporting CognettiLargest donors:
PIVOTAL VENTURES $2.0M (56%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC); OPPORTUNITY ACTION FUND $750K (21%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC); GOVERNMENT THAT WORKS PAC $250K (7%); GREEN ADVOCACY PROJECT $250K (7%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC); CHILDREN'S EQUITY FUND $100K (3%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC)PROGRESSIVE TURNOUT PROJECT— $502K supporting CognettiLargest donors:
STOP REPUBLICANS $6.1M (22%) (its largest donors: FAHEY, EILEEN $2.7M; PROGRESSIVE TURNOUT PROJECT $2.5M); LAWALL, JOY $6.0M (22%); PROGRESSIVE TAKEOVER $3.5M (13%) (its largest donors: EVEY, JULIE $1.4M); STOP THESE OPPRESSIVE PEOPLE: TYRANTS RACISTS UNQUALIFIEDS MISOGYNISTS PROPAGANDISTS (STOP TRUMP) $3.0M (11%) (its largest donors: JOHNSTON, ERIC $1.3M); DEM TURNOUT 2024 $2.1M (8%) (its largest donors: KITCHEN, CAROL $1.2M)REAL RESULTS PAC— $382K opposing CognettiLargest donors:
KEYSTONE NEXT $100K (67%)and 35 more
Bundled through PACs
$197K through 7 PACs · FEC bulk data of 2026-11-01JSTREETPAC— $83K from 93 giftsLobbyist/registrant PACEMILYS LIST— $36K from 77 giftsSWING LEFT— $34K from 16 giftsZINC COLLECTIVE PAC— $23K from 8 giftsWELCOMEPAC— $16K from 5 giftsand 2 more
126 PACs gave directly — alphabetical; the legal limit is $5,000 per election
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR JUSTICE POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (AAJ PAC) $7,500
AMERICAN DEFENSE AND MILITARY PAC $3,000
AMERICAN FEDERATION OF STATE COUNTY & MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES P E O P L E $5,000
AMERICAN INNOVATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (AMI PAC) $1,000
AMERICAN MOSAIC PAC $1,000
AMERICANS MAKING OPPORTUNITIES PAC $1,000
AMERIPAC: THE FUND FOR A GREATER AMERICA $10K
ARCHIPAC - THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS $1,000
BEEPAC (BUILDING ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT PAC) $3,000
BEYOND THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS PAC $7,500
BLUE HEN FEDERAL PAC $5,000
BLUE MAJORITY PAC $1,000
BLUE MOMENTUM PAC $2,000
BLUE WARRIORS $1,000
BRIDGE THE GAP PAC $2,000
CA LUV PAC (CALIFORNIA LEADERSHIP UNITED FOR VICTORY PAC) $10K
CARPENTERS LEGISLATIVE IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE UNITED BROTHERHOOD OF CARPENTERS AND JOINERS $5,000
CHRISSY HOULAHAN FOR CONGRESS $2,500
CITIZENS FOR BILL FERGUSON $999
COMMITTEE FOR A DEMOCRATIC FUTURE $1,000
COMMITTEE TO ELECT DENISE WILLIAMS $250
COMMUNICATIONS WORKERS OF AMERICA - COPE POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS COMMITTEE $5,000
CONGRESS MAJORITY PAC $100
DEFEAT EXTREMISTS $1,000
DEFEND THE VOTE $5,000
DEMOCRACY SUMMER LEADERSHIP PAC $1,000
DEMOCRATIC CONSERVATION ALLIANCE PAC $1,000
DEMOCRATIC JEWISH OUTREACH PA $2,500
DEMOCRATIC MAJORITY FUND $7,500
DEMOCRATIC VALUES $1,000
DEMOCRATIC WOMEN OF SANTA BARBARA COUNTY $500
DEMS WIN PA $2,500
DMFI PAC $2,500
DOGGETT FOR CONGRESS $2,000
DONT GIVE UP THE SHIP PAC $1,000
DR KIM SCHRIER FOR CONGRESS $2,000
DUANE MORRIS GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE $1,000
ELECT DEMOCRATIC WOMEN $7,000
ELECT DEMS NOW PAC $1,000
EMILIA SKYES FOR CONGRESS $1,000
EMILYS LIST $10K
END CITIZENS UNITED $7,500
EQUALITY PAC $2,500
EVERY VOTE PAC $5,000
EVERYTOWN FOR GUN SAFETY ACTION FUND, INC. PAC (EVERYTOWN PAC) $1,500
FAIR SHOT PAC $10K
FIGHT FOR PROGRESS PAC $1,000
FIGHTING BACK PAC $1,500
FLIP THE CONGRESS PAC $10K
FOSTERING PROGRESS PAC $2,000
FREEDOM DEMOCRATS $1,000
FRIENDS FOR GINTHER $500
FRIENDS OF KYLE MULLINS $250
FRIENDS OF LACEY BEATY $1,000
FUTURE FORUM PAC $2,500
GABE AMO FOR CONGRESS $500
GETTING RESULTS BY ENGAGING THE GRASSROOTS PAC $1,000
GIFFORDS PAC $1,000
GOOD FRIENDS PAC $5,000
GREG CASAR FOR CONGRESS $1,000
HAWAII PAC $1,000
HMP $5,000
HOPE PAC $1,000
HOULAPAC $2,000
HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN PAC $1,050
INLAND EMPIRE STRIKES PAC; THE $1,000
INNOVATION FOR GOOD PAC $10K
INT'L ASSOCIATION OF BRIDGE, STRUCTURAL, ORNAMENTAL AND REINFORCING IRON WORKERS (IPAL) $5,000
INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SHEET METAL, AIR, RAIL AND TRANSPORTATION WORKERS POLITICAL ACTION LEAGUE $5,000
JEFFRIES FOR CONGRESS $4,000
JOBS, EDUCATION, & FAMILIES FIRST JEFF PAC $10K
JUSTICE LEAGUE PAC $1,000
KATHERINE CLARK FOR CONGRESS $4,000
KEY TO THE KEYSTONE PAC $500
KEYSTONE AMERICA PAC $5,000
KLEIN COMMITTEE $1,000
KUSTER FOR CONGRESS, INC $2,000
LA BAMBA PAC $3,000
LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITY INNOVATION SERVICE PAC $1,000
LEAGUE OF CONSERVATION VOTERS ACTION FUND $6,000
LIFTOFF PAC $5,000
LOBO PAC $1,000
LORI TRAHAN FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE $1,000
MAC PAC $1,000
MAKING A DIFFERENCE PAC $6,000
MCKENZIE RIVER PAC $1,000
MELINDA FOR SENATE $1,000
MIDWEST VALUES PAC $2,500
MOMS FED UP $7,500
MORGAN MCGARVEY FOR CONGRESS $1,000
NANCY PELOSI FOR CONGRESS $4,000
NATIONAL COMMITTEE TO PRESERVE SOCIAL SECURITY & MEDICARE PAC $200
NEA FUND FOR CHILDREN AND PUBLIC EDUCATION $5,000
NEW DEMOCRAT COALITION ACTION FUND $10K
NEW VOICE PAC $1,000
NOT SO OLD FASHIONED PAC $2,000
NRDC ACTION FUND INC PAC $4,000
PAC OF APPLES $1,000
PAC TO THE FUTURE $10K
PATRIOT PAC $2,500
PETE AGUILAR FOR CONGRESS $4,000
PROGRESSIVE TURNOUT PROJECT $5,000
REBUILD AMERICA PAC $2,000
SCANLON FOR CONGRESS $4,000
SCHAKOWSKY FOR CONGRESS $1,000
SCHNEIDER FOR CONGRESS $3,000
SD PAC $10K
SEAN SHULTZ FOR CARLISLE $250
SEIU COPE (SERVICE EMPLOYEES INTERNATIONAL UNION COMMITTEE ON POLITICAL EDUCATION) $5,000
SERVICE FIRST PAC $4,000
SHORE PAC $2,000
SILICORN VALLEY PAC $6,000
SPIKE PAC $3,000
STRICKLAND FOR WASHINGTON $1,000
SUNFLOWER SEEDS PAC $2,000
TED LIEU FOR CONGRESS $2,000
THE JUNO FUND $10K
THE NEXT 50 PAC $10K
TOMORROW PAC $2,000
TRI-STATE MAXED-OUT WOMEN $10K
UA UNION PLUMBERS & PIPEFITTERS VOTE! PAC (UNITED ASSOCIATION OF JOURNEYMEN AND APPRENTICES OF THE PLUMBING & PIPEFITTING INDUSTRY OF THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA) $5,000
UNITED FOOD AND COMMERCIAL WORKERS INTERNATIONAL UNION ACTIVE BALLOT CLUB $5,000
Paid for by PSEA - PA State Education Associationfrom 2026-11-05spend $0–992,000–2,999 impressions
PSEA congratulates Gov. Josh Shapiro and Lt. Gov. Austin Davis on their election win and hailing the election of PSEA-supported candidates to Congress and the state Legislature.
“We look forward to all the ways we can work with this newly minted pro-public education trifecta in the state House, Senate, and governor’s office to strengthen our public schools and our communities in the years to come.
As members of Congress, Bob Brooks, Paige Cognetti, and Janelle Stelson will stand up for educators, working people, and our communities. They are principled leaders who are committed to our students and the work educators do in our schools and our communities
We are confident these newly elected officials will represent Pennsylvanians by working to reverse the detrimental policies of Project 2025, preventing the elimination of $3 billion in federal education funding, making sure kids don’t go hungry, defending school employees’ rights, and protecting collective bargaining.” - PSEA President Aaron Chapin
🔗: Read our full statement about Tuesday's election results at www.psea.org/2026ElectionResults.
📸: PSEA members attending Tuesday's statewide celebrations.
Paid for by Pennsylvania Accountability Fundfrom 2026-10-27spend $300–39935,000–39,999 impressions
"Weeks before Congress passed its One Big Beautiful Bill... U.S. Rep. Rob Bresnahan (R-PA) sold stocks in 9️⃣ companies that either provide Medicaid insurance coverage or could otherwise be affected by the bill."
NINE 🙄
🗞️ Read more on Heartland Signal
no techniques found
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Paige Cognetti won. Get what Paige Cognetti says in office by email, analyzed for rhetorical techniques, once sworn in. And an email if the result changes: a recount or a call reversed. One-click unsubscribe.
Confirming also makes your free Semblen account, with a 14-day Pro trial. No card.
Paid for by CONGRESSIONAL LEADERSHIP FUNDfrom 2026-10-26spend $1,500–1,99945,000–49,999 impressions
Paige Cognetti doesn’t care about us. She’s made that clear.
Paige Cognetti raised taxes.
Paige Cognetti backed raising taxes every year.
Paige Cognetti raised property taxes.
Paige Cognetti is out for herself.
Paige Cognetti is pricing us out.
Paid for by Leadership Now PACfrom 2026-10-26spend $0–992,000–2,999 impressions
When Paige Cognetti became mayor, Scranton had a junk bond rating. She proved what good governance and strong fiscal leadership can deliver: cutting the city’s debt in half and earning three credit upgrades.
no techniques found
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Paid for by CONGRESSIONAL LEADERSHIP FUNDfrom 2026-10-26 to 2026-10-273 variantsspend $500–79721,000–27,997 impressions
Paige Cognetti—TAXING PENNSYLVANIA TO DEATH. 💰😵
She told us taxes were not going to be raised...
...but some Pennsylvanians' taxes were doubled—even TRIPLED!
❌ Reject Paige Cognetti on Nov. 3. ❌
Exaggeration/Hyperbole: Claims taxation is killing the entire state, an extreme overstatement beyond evidence. Flagged: “TAXING PENNSYLVANIA TO DEATH”.
Loaded Language: Uses emotionally charged, deathly imagery in all caps to provoke a reaction rather than state facts. Flagged: “TO DEATH”.
Paid for by Working Americafrom 2026-10-252 variantsspend $0–1987,000–8,998 impressions
A week before he voted to cut Medicaid, Rep. Rob Bresnahan dumped up to $130,000 worth of stock in companies that manage nearly half of all Medicaid enrollees.
no techniques found
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Paid posts that ran in PA and name a candidate, from advertisers that aren't part of this race: news-style pages, campaigns for other offices, and others. They're shown here for completeness and not counted with the ads above. We show the same technique analysis; their claims are not checked.
The American Independent Foundation: news-style page
Paid for by The American Independent Foundationfrom 2026-08-13 to 2026-08-282 variantsspend $19,500–24,9981,900,000–999,999 impressions
Violent crime falls in Scranton under Mayor Cognetti
Scranton's decrease in violent crime comes after Mayor Paige Cognetti administration invested millions of dollars in the local police force
An ad is on this page because its own "Paid for by" line is a campaign in this race; or it comes from a national Senate group and ran mostly in PA; or it ran mostly in PA and names a candidate — unless its sponsor is a campaign for some other office. Ads from outside groups appear alongside the campaigns' own.
Campaigns run one text as many separate ads. Identical text from the same sponsor is one card here, marked with its number of variants.
A technique is a specific rhetorical move in the wording, found by our model and explained in one line. It is not a claim that the ad is false.
Claims are checked when a reader asks: press "Check this ad's claims" on a card. Running a check and seeing its verdicts are part of Semblen Pro, because each check costs money to run; anyone can see which claims an ad makes. The ten ads with the most money behind them in each race are checked ahead of time.
Claim verdicts say what the cited sources say. A verdict that an ad is wrong or misleading is shown only when it cites an established fact-checker or an institutional record — Congress, a federal agency, a court — and its confidence is not low; a weaker one is not shown at all. Each verdict shows what it rests on and how confident it is. If we got one wrong, press Disagree: a verdict that readers dispute and no one defends comes down.
Video ads come from the campaigns' own YouTube channels; the transcript is analyzed. Meta ads are analyzed on their text; their video and images are not, yet.