“Representative Matt Cartwright has a record of delivering for his constituents in the 8th District on the issues that matter to them – from access to affordable health care to fighting for Pennsylvania’s seniors. While Rep. Cartwright has shown he’s a proven advocate for northeastern Pennsylvania, Jim Bognet has made it clear that his priority – and his loyalty – is with a political party in Washington. Voters won’t stand for that in November.” – DCCC Chairwoman Cheri Bustos
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To: Interested Parties
From: Courtney Rice, DCCC Regional Press Secretary
Date: June 3, 2020
Subject: The Case Against Jim Bognet
Following the “most competitive primary” in Pennsylvania, Jim Bognet emerges in an extremely weak position to take on the well-funded, popular incumbent Representative Matt Cartwright. Cartwright begins the general election with a 10-to-1 cash-on-hand advantage over Bognet, giving him the ability to effectively communicate the work he’s done on behalf of his community. This is a significant advantage for Rep. Cartwright, who beat his Republican opponent in 2018 by more than 9 points despite the Republican self-funding $1.2 million in the race.
Throughout his time in Congress, Rep. Cartwright has built a reputation as a fighter for northeastern Pennsylvania – one who is not afraid to break from his party when it’s in the best interest of his district. He has fought to bring investment and jobs to the district and to lower the cost of prescription drugs. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Cartwright has been a fierce advocate for NEPA including proposing hazard pay for frontline workers, job training, stronger workplace protections, and calling for additional funds for expanded testing in the area.
Rep. Cartwright will face Jim Bognet, a political insider who has made his career working on Washington Republicans’ political campaigns and who just moved back to the district to run for Congress. Bognet will be tied to the disastrous Washington Republican agenda – the one he faithfully worked to implement – including cutting Medicare and Social Security, prioritizing the wealthy and well-connected at the expense of the middle-class, and gutting health care protections for pre-existing conditions.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
“[O]ne GOP strategist involved in House races [noted] that Bognet, although a native of Hazleton, could be attacked as a carpetbagger after spending much of his career outside of the district.” [National Journal, 02/17/20]
“Both the Granville and Marsicano campaign […noted] Bognet’s years of campaign work outside PA, including work for Mitt Romney, who has become a persona non grata in Trumpworld since the Senator’s vote to impeach. ‘We welcome Mr. Bognet back to northeast Pennsylvania and congratulate him on tapping his DC network of fellow Mitt Romney alumni to fund his campaign,’ said Matt Beynon, advisor to the Granville campaign.” [PoliticsPA, 04/27/20]
“[W]hoever emerges will have his work cut out for him against the Democrat, who is sitting on $1.3 million and has proven electorally resilient in the face of a changing political landscape.” [National Journal, 02/17/20]
HEADLINE: U.S. Rep. Cartwright talks to Republicans every day. [Pike County Courier, 03/04/20]
HEADLINE: U.S. Rep. Cartwright wants to revive federal investment in rural areas. [Pike County Courier, 02/11/20]
HEADLINE: Cartwright pushing to lower drug prices. [River Reporter, 02/26/20]
Jim Bognet: A Political Insider More Concerned With Carrying Out The Washington Republican Agenda Than NEPA
A CAREER POLITICAL HACK & CARPETBAGGER
In what was “the most competitive primary in Pennsylvania,” career political hack Jim Bognet was tagged as a “carpetbagger” by primary opponents and Republican strategists “after spending much of his career outside of the district” working on losing presidential and senate campaigns.
Since 2003, Bognet has made a career of traveling the country to work for failed Washington Republicans – he is not grounded in the district.
2018: CEO of Martha McSally’s unsuccessful Senate campaign in Arizona
2012: Media consultant for Mitt Romney’s unsuccessful presidential campaign
2012: Senior Advisor to Dave Dewhurst’s unsuccessful Senate primary campaign in Texas
2009: Deputy Campaign Manager for Steve Poizner’s unsuccessful California gubernatorial campaign
2008: Communications Advisor for Sen. John McCain’s unsuccessful presidential campaign
2008: Economics Advisor for Mitt Romney’s unsuccessful presidential campaign
2006, 2003: Worked on Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s California gubernatorial campaign
2002: Worked on Lou Barletta’s unsuccessful House race in Pennsylvania
Between Bognet renting in the area while searching for a home near Hazleton and the multiple national campaigns he’s worked on, it’s clear that Bognet moved back to the district specifically for a congressional run. Rep. Cartwright’s trajectory couldn’t be more different. He has spent his career in northeastern Pennsylvania and has only the district’s priorities in mind.
A SHILL FOR THE DISASTROUS WASHINGTON REPUBLICAN AGENDA
After announcing his congressional run, Jim Bognet proclaimed that he was running to support the Trump agenda. Unfortunately for Pennsylvanians, that agenda includes promoting a tax scam that leaves the working class behind, raises health care costs for less coverage, and guts Social Security and Medicare for future generations.
GOP Tax Scam – The GOP tax bill served as a giveaway to big corporations and the wealthiest few at the expense of the middle class.
Dangerous Health Care Agenda – Washington Republicans’ health care agenda includes support for the lawsuit to dismantle the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. If the suit is successful, 282,000 Pennsylvanians in the 8th District with pre-existing conditions could lose their coverage and 798,700 Pennsylvanians who rely on Medicaid would also be at risk of losing their health care.
Bognet has also advocated for “reform[s]” (read, cuts) to Medicare and Social Security while working on Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign
While Jim Bognet would be nothing more than a rubber stamp for the Washington Republican agenda, Rep. Cartwright continues to be an independent voice for northeastern Pennsylvanians, addressing kitchen table issues that matter to working-and middle-class families. He’s spearheaded efforts to provide hazard pay to the frontline workers battling COVID-19, worked to lower the cost of prescription drugs, and pushed for legislation “that would create new economic opportunities in rural areas.”
PATH TO VICTORY
The 8th Congressional District, located in northeastern Pennsylvania and home to Scranton, will be a battleground up and down the ballot in 2020, particularly with Vice President Biden at the top of the ticket. In 2018, Representative Matt Cartwright won reelection with 54.6% of the major party vote, beating the Republican by 9.3%, despite raising half a million less than him throughout the cycle. Rep. Cartwright also outperformed Senator Casey by 2.1 points in 2018. In fact, Cartwright won 52.8% of Luzerne County’s vote in 2018, outpacing Casey by 4.3 points.
Matt Cartwright has built a career fighting on behalf of northeastern Pennsylvanians in Congress –from protecting and expanding access to affordable health care, to advocating for better wages, to supporting veterans. Cementing his advantage, Cartwright starts the general election with a significant financial advantage over Bognet, having raised over $2 million this cycle.
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