Rob Bresnahan
Rob Bresnahan | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2025 | |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's 8th district | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Matt Cartwright |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Robert Paul Bresnahan Jr. April 22, 1990 Kingston, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Chelsea Strub (m. 2025) |
| Education | University of Scranton (BA) |
| Website | House website Campaign website |
Robert Paul Bresnahan Jr. (/ˈbrɛznəhæn/ BREZ-nə-han; born April 22, 1990) is an American politician and businessman serving as the United States representative for Pennsylvania's 8th congressional district since 2025. He is a member of the Republican Party.[1][2]
He defeated incumbent Matt Cartwright in the 2024 election. He took office on January 3, 2025.
Early life and education
[edit]Bresnahan was born on April 22, 1990, in Kingston, Pennsylvania.[3] He grew up in Wyoming, Pennsylvania.[4] Bresnahan graduated from Wyoming Seminary in 2008.[5] Bresnahan later studied business at the University of Scranton and was on the golf team.[6] He graduated from the university in 2012.[5]
Early career
[edit]At the age of 19, Bresnahan became the chief financial officer of his grandfather's highway electrical business, Kuharchik Construction in Exeter, Pennsylvania.[4] After graduating from the University of Scranton, Bresnahan took over as CEO in 2013.
In 2023, Bresnahan partnered Kuharchik Construction with Midwestern Electric near Chicago, Illinois.[7]
Bresnahan is the owner of RPB Ventures, a real estate development company. The bulk of Bresnahan's real estate projects are on and around Main Street in Pittston, Pennsylvania.[8][9]
Bresnahan has served on a number of voluntary boards in Northeastern Pennsylvania including as interim president of the SPCA of Luzerne County board of directors, past president of Wyoming Rotary Club, and treasurer of the TecBRIDGE board and Automated Vehicle Coalition.[4]
He also served on the boards for Junior Achievement of NEPA, Big Brothers Big Sisters of NEPA, Luzerne County Industrial Development Authority, National Electrical Contractors Association and IBEW 163.[4]
Currently, Bresnahan serves on the boards of the SPCA of Luzerne County, Forty Fort Cemetery Association, and Catholic Youth Center.[4]
United States House of Representatives
[edit]Elections
[edit]In October 2023, Bresnahan filed to run for the Republican nomination for Pennsylvania's 8th congressional district.[10] The district includes Lackawanna County, Wayne County, and Pike County along with the majority of Luzerne County and Monroe County in Northeastern Pennsylvania.[11] In the November 2024 general election, Bresnahan defeated incumbent Democrat Matt Cartwright.[12]
Tenure
[edit]In May 2025, Bresnahan voted for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.[13]
In September 2025, Bresnahan co-sponsored a bill to raise the federal minimum wage based on regional cost of living.[14]
Committee assignments
[edit]For the 119th Congress:[15]
Personal life
[edit]Bresnahan married Chelsea Strub, a former news anchor and reporter at WNEP-TV, on August 16, 2025.[17]
Bresnahan's net worth is estimated at $48 million.[18] In April 2025, The New York Times reported that Bresnahan, who had campaigned on prohibiting stock trading by members of Congress, reported 264 stock trades, purchasing up to $1.7 million in stock since taking office in January 2025.[19] By August 2025, Bresnahan had traded $7.24 million in stocks.[18] The number of trades made Bresnahan the second-most active stock trader in the 119th Congress.[20] Bresnahan said he planned to establish a blind trust in May 2025, but that the House Ethics Committee's rules made the process difficult. Bresnahan says that he does not personally trade stock, instead his financial advisors do the trades.[18]
In November 2025, NBS News reported that Bresnahan dumped $130,000 worth of stock in Centene, Elevance Health, UnitedHealth and CVS Health on May 15. These trades happened a week before he voted to cut Medicaid funding. The four companies manage about half of all Medicaid accounts.[21]
Electoral history
[edit]| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Rob Bresnahan | 42,365 | 100.0 | |
| Total votes | 42,365 | 100.0 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Rob Bresnahan Jr. | 195,663 | 50.8 | |||
| Democratic | Matt Cartwright (incumbent) | 189,411 | 49.2 | |||
| Total votes | 385,074 | 100.0 | ||||
| Republican gain from Democratic | ||||||
References
[edit]- ^ "Bresnahan Wins Pennsylvania House Race, Flipping Seat to GOP". Bloomberg.com. November 6, 2024. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
- ^ "Rob Bresnahan claims victory in Pennsylvania 8th Congressional race". Abc27. November 6, 2024. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
- ^ https://ballotpedia.org/Rob_Bresnahan_Jr[dead link]
- ^ a b c d e Allabaugh, Denise (October 2, 2021). "CEO leads construction business at a young age". Wilkes-Barre Citizens' Voice. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
- ^ a b Horvath, Jeff (October 30, 2024). "Cartwright, Bresnahan talk inflation, economy and guns as election nears". The Citizens' Voice. pp. A1A4. Retrieved August 5, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Robert Bresnahan - 2011-12 - Men's Golf". University of Scranton. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
- ^ Herriott, Ashton (July 19, 2023). "CAI Announces First Close of Seventh Fund and First Transaction – Midwestern Electric's Partnership with Kuharchik Construction | CAI Capital Partners". Retrieved November 6, 2024.
- ^ Callaio, Tony (January 15, 2022). "Bresnahan invests in Pittston". The Sunday Dispatch. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
- ^ Allabaugh, Denise (January 14, 2023). "Pittston sees a surge in new businesses". Wilkes-Barre Citizens' Voice. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
- ^ Leader, Times (October 4, 2023). "Bresnahan files to run against Cartwright in 8th District". Times Leader. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
- ^ "Pennsylvania Redistricting US Congress | Voting & Election Information | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania". www.pa.gov. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
- ^ Lillis, Mike (November 6, 2024). "Republican Rob Bresnahan ousts Matt Cartwright in Pennsylvania". The Hill. Retrieved November 21, 2024.
- ^ O'Boyle, Bill (July 5, 2025). "Rep. Bresnahan explains his vote for President Trump's 'One Big Beautiful Bill'". www.timesleader.com. Retrieved September 23, 2025.
- ^ O'Boyle, Bill (September 2, 2025). "Rep. Bresnahan co-sponsors Fair Wage Act to raise minimum wage". Times Leader. Retrieved September 7, 2025.
- ^ "Bresnahan to serve on three House committees, including transportation and infrastructure". Scranton Times-Tribune. December 18, 2024. Retrieved March 3, 2025.
- ^ "Graves Announces T&I Subcommittee Vice Chairs". Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure. February 26, 2025.
- ^ Halpin, James (August 18, 2025). "Bresnahan stalker apologizes as he is granted parole". The Citizens' Voice. Retrieved August 18, 2025.
- ^ a b c Kerneckel, Makenzie; Terruso, Julia (August 10, 2025). "Rob Bresnahan's stock trades fuel doubts about GOP hold on key Pa. swing seat". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved August 10, 2025.
- ^ Karni, Annie (April 5, 2025). "He Said He Would Ban Congressional Stock Trading. Now in Office, He Trades Freely". The New York Times – via NYTimes.com.
- ^ Karni, Annie (August 16, 2025). "Congressman's Stock Trades Draw More Scrutiny After Key Votes". The New York Times. Retrieved August 18, 2025.
- ^ "Rep. Rob Bresnahan sold stock in several Medicaid providers before voting for cuts". NBC News. November 20, 2025. Retrieved November 21, 2025.
- ^ "Tuesday, November 5, 2024 2024 Presidential Election (Official Returns) Statewide". electionresults.pa.gov. Retrieved February 3, 2025.