GOP’s Bognet announces another run for 8th Congressional District seat

WILKES-BARRE — In announcing his second run for Congress, Jim Bognet Tuesday said he will stop the “Biden/Pelosi/Cartwright assault on America.”

Bognet, 46, of Hazle Township, announced on Public Square that he is running for the Republican nomination in the 8th Congressional District, the seat currently held by Democrat Matt Cartwright of Moosic. Bognet lost to Cartwright in 2020 by just over 12,000 votes.

“I will fight Matt Cartwright’s tax-and-spend lunacy, and work to finish the wall,” Bognet said. “I believe in an America First agenda of securing the border, ensuring fair elections, and creating jobs for Pennsylvanians in energy and manufacturing. In this rematch, Matt Cartwright is going down like Apollo Creed in Rocky II.”

Cartwright, 60 of Moosic, has not yet announced his intent to run for re-election, but it is presumed he will seek his sixth term in Congress.

Teddy Daniels, a Republican and an Army combat veteran who was wounded in battle in Afghanistan, announced in January that he will also run for Congress in the 8th Congressional District.

Daniels also ran for the same office in 2020, but did lost the GOP nomination to Bognet.

Bognet, a former Trump Administration appointee, was born and raised in Hazleton. He graduated from Penn State University in 1997 before receiving his law degree. Bognet worked for both Sen. Rick Santorum and Rep. Lou Barletta, and he is a small business owner. Jim worked in President Trump’s administration to support American job creation, exports, and manufacturing.

Bognet said Cartwright doesn’t represent Northeastern Pennsylvania values.

“He represents San Francisco’s values,” Bognet said, referring to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s home area. “Unlike Matt Cartwright, I am pro life, pro Second Amendment, pro energy, and pro small business.”

Bognet said in 2020, he raised nearly $2 million against Cartwright. He said donations have already started to come in and he expects help from the Republican Party.

Bognet said he will bring more jobs to the region and he said the GOP must regain the majority in Congress to stop the Biden Administration from “spending trillions of dollars borrowed from China.”

Judy Ahrens and Emmie Lyle of Honesdale traveled to Public Square to be there for Bognet’s announcement.

“He’s honest and he stands for the same values as we do,” Ahrens said of Bognet. “And he supports gas drilling, which is important to Wayne County.”

Lyle said she supports Bognet because “we need a change in Pennsylvania.”

“We need someone who will vote for the people,” she said.

DCCC issues statement

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee issued a statement regarding Bognet’s announcement.

“It’s already nasty in this GOP contest to out-crazy each other.

“Today, failed 2020 candidate Jim Bognet announced his 2022 campaign for Congress with a proclamation of his support for the Big Lie of the 2020 election that led to the attack on the Capitol.

“Bognet’s entry sets up a vicious GOP primary with Teddy Daniels, who has mocked law enforcement who protected the Capitol on Jan. 6, from the mob Daniels was a part of, has rallied with extremists during his campaign, and has already raised more than $430,000.

“Daniels has already attacked Bognet personally for under-performing Trump in 2020 and living with his parents, saying: ‘Every politician talks about kitchen table issues. What’s his kitchen table issues? ‘Mom, bring me another hot pocket?’”

James Singer DCCC Spokesman, said, “This radical race to the right is already getting nasty and personal. As Bognet and Daniels are squaring off to out-crazy each other, Pennsylvanians can be assured Rep. Matt Cartwright will continue delivering for them.”