Candidates come away confident after only debate

Oct. 21—JENKINS TWP. — The only debate between the two candidates in the race for Pennsylvania's 8th Congressional District left them confident about the outcome of the vote less than three weeks away

Five-term Democratic incumbent U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright saw himself as the winner as he approached the finish line of the Nov. 8 general election.

"I'm going to be running through the tape, no coasting here," Cartwright said after the televised, hour-long debate at the WVIA studios where he went head-to-head with Republican challenger Jim Bognet. It was their second meeting in two years, having debated in October 2020.

Cartwright expressed some frustration with the time limit to respond to the questions ranging from the abortion to inflation, immigration and gun control, but even more with Bognet who took every opportunity to tie the legislator to fellow Democrats President Joe Biden and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.

"He actually flat-out falsely represented at least two of my votes," Cartwright said afterward.

Bognet was equally certain of his spot in the House of Representatives.

"I think we saw a contrast between someone who spent his life supporting liberal ideas, stands with Joe Biden and Nancy Pelosi 100% of the time, and somebody who believes in a fresh approach that we need something new in northeast Pennsylvania. I think I'm going to win. I know I'm going to win," Bognet said.

Cartwright set the tone from the start, talking about his decade of experience, his position on the House Appropriations Committee and performance of being able to work across the aisle and bringing back approximately $72 million to the district.

"I ran for Congress 10 years ago to become a powerful effective voice for Northeastern Pennsylvania. And boy do we need that now more than ever," Cartwright said.

Acknowledging the hardships many people face because of inflation, Cartwright vowed to continue to fight for his constituents, while noting he doubted Bognet would.

"We're going to hear about him really shedding the values of Northeastern Pennsylvania if he ever had them," Cartwright said.

Bognet talked about his Hazleton roots, his parents and immigrant grandfather who worked in the coal mines. "He loved his country so much he wouldn't let his nine children speak Italian at the dinner table because he wanted them to be American. That's the kind of love of country I want," Bognet said.

Just as Cartwright went to Washington, D.C. t0 make a difference, Bognet asked to be sent there because he said he could make a difference for the better.

"Ladies and gentlemen, America is off track. We've gone into a ditch. We need change and we need it now," Bognet said.

On the issues, Bognet promised to let Social Security alone. "We will not let anyone touch it," he said. Economic growth will help fund it, he said.

Cartwright said he has been endorsed by the Committee to Protect Social Security and Medicare and pointed out Bognet previously called for cutback of the entitlement. Cartwright said he supported the recently passed Inflation Reduction Act because it will reduce the deficit by $200 billion this decade. "All of that money can go toward shoring up Social Security and that's what we intend for it to do," he said.

When asked about if they would support a federal ban on abortion, even though it's legal in Pennsylvania, Cartwright responded the U.S. Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade was an "attack on women"s right to reproductive freedom." He said he believed women should be able to make their own choices.

Bognet said the Court sent it back to the states where it belongs. He labeled Cartwright's support of abortion on demand as extreme.

"Once again my opponent is getting it wrong. I actually voted for the Born Alive Protection Act, you can go back and check the record," Cartwright said.

Bognet attributed the high inflation and gasoline prices to the policies set by Biden and Pelosi with the help of Cartwright.

"Matt goes out and says 'I support a gas plant in Luzerne County,'" Bognet said of Cartwright's ads saying he's in favor of the plant in Newport Township to convert shale gas into gasoline. "That gas plant is imaginary. It might be built in five years if we're lucky and he didn't do anything for it anyway."

Bognet's solution was to make the country a leader in producing energy. "We need American oil from American soil," he said.

On gun laws, Cartwright called for sensible gun safety laws on the federal level, adding "I think we can have local control over gun access."

Bognet seized on Cartwright's response. A city such as Scranton could outlaw weapons, while Exeter would allow it, he said. "Here's what we need to do. We need to crack down on people who commit crimes with guns," he said.

Cartwright said he has worked to make the border with Mexico more secure. "I support enforcing the rule of law," he said, noting he supported two border security bills signed into law by former President Donald Trump to increase border patrol funding, fight drug trafficking and secure the border.

"I voted for over a billion dollars to build a wall on our southern border," Cartwright said, contrary to Bognet's claims.

Reach Jerry Lynott at 570-991-6120 or on Twitter @TLJerryLynott.