Tuesday’s election balloting will include a rematch of the 2020 congressional race between Rep. Matt Cartwright, a Democrat from Lackawanna County, and challenger Jim Bognet, a Republican from Hazleton.

Parts of Monroe County that are in the Times News coverage area will participate in balloting for the 8th Congressional District.

That newly realigned district includes all of Lackawanna, Pike and Wayne counties and parts of Luzerne and Monroe counties, including the townships of Barrett, Chestnuthill, Coolbaugh, Hamilton, Jackson, Middle Smithfield, Paradise, Pocono, Price, Smithfield, Stroud, Tobyhanna and Tunkhannock and the boroughs of Delaware Water Gap, East Stroudsburg, Mount Pocono, Stroudsburg and part of Ross. Two years ago, Cartwright defeated Bognet by 12,221 votes - 178,004 to 165,783.

This time around, Bognet defeated former Hazleton Mayor Mike Marsicano to win the GOP nomination. He tallied 44,192 votes in May, easily outdistancing Marsicano’s 19,982.

Cartwright was initially elected to the 17th District seat, that included Carbon County, among other areas, in 2012.

Before joining Congress, he worked as a lawyer with the firm Munley, Munley & Cartwright for 25 years.

At the start of the 116th Congress, Cartwright was one of four Democrats selected to lead the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee, which is responsible for developing messaging related to the agenda and positions of the Democratic Party, and is often used as a stepping stone to other leadership positions within the Democratic caucus.

Bognet received a bachelor’s degree from Penn State University, an M.B.A. from the University of California at Los Angeles School of Management, and a law degree from the UCLA School of Law.

He founded JRB Strategies, a political and business consulting firm, and worked in President Trump’s administration and as an economic adviser to the governor of California.

A U.S. representative’s base salary is $174,000.

The Times News sent a questionnaire to candidates. Cartwright’s answers are included here. Bognet did not respond.

Congressman Matt Cartwright

Address: press@cartwrightcongress.com

Background: Matt Cartwright is a fighter for all hardworking northeastern Pennsylvanians, standing up to corporate special interests and Washington insiders to lower costs and build a skilled workforce right here at home.

From bringing a new $6 billion gas plant to northeastern Pennsylvania that will create jobs and lower gas prices, to advocating for better wages and economic security for working people and high-quality healthcare for our veterans, Matt Cartwright is putting our community first.

As an Appropriations subcommittee chairman, he has secured funding to grow our local economy, move key infrastructure projects forward and fund our community’s law enforcement.

What are your three top priorities if elected to office: My focus is on bringing down costs so that working people in our community are given a chance to thrive. I also remain dedicated to protecting Social Security and Medicare for our seniors who have paid into these programs over a lifetime of hard work.

Additionally, I will continue to bring federal dollars back to NEPA to fund local police and keep our community safe.

What’s your plan for keeping our jobs from going overseas: I have helped lead the effort to bring a $6 billion dollar gas plant to Luzerne County that will create thousands of new jobs. I will also continue to fund workforce development programs in the region that give our local businesses the resources they need to thrive.

Lastly, I will continue to expand higher education opportunities right here in northeastern Pennsylvania by focusing on workforce development and STEM degree programs.

What should the top priority be for our foreign policy?: The United States needs to continue to set an example for the rest of the world by leading with the resilience of our democracy. We must strengthen our ties with our allies while standing up to authoritarian governments across the globe, including supporting Ukraine against the war of aggression waged by Vladimir Putin.

I will always use my position in Congress to protect freedom at home and abroad.

The cost of living has risen dramatically, with no corresponding pay raise for workers. What can be done to battle the escalating Inflation?

In addition to creating jobs through the Nacero plant, I have supported legislation to go after price gouging by big oil companies who are looking to rip off our community by overcharging us. I have also supported legislation to free up supply chain bottlenecks by cracking down on shipping carriers.

There is still a lot of work to do, and I remain focused on lowering costs in northeastern Pennsylvania.

Mass shootings have been more frequent in this country. How can this be stopped without infringing on the rights of Americans to own guns? I support the Second Amendment, I am a gun owner and I will protect the gun rights of law-abiding citizens. Unfortunately, gun violence has become all too frequent and we must do more to protect our community, most importantly our children.

I am proud to have supported common-sense gun safety solutions by voting for and passing reforms supported by Republicans and Democrats, reforms that will make us safer.

The area is heavily populated with senior citizens, struggling to make ends meet. What can be done to help our aging population? I am co-sponsoring the Social Security 2100 Act. This legislation will strengthen Social Security well into the future by increasing monthly earnings and reducing taxes on benefits.

I also helped pass legislation that reduces the cost of prescription drugs for our seniors by allowing Medicare to negotiate the costs of prescriptions and cap out-of-pocket drug costs while lowering health insurance premiums.

Health care cost continue to mount. How can we be sure our vulnerable populations get the coverage they need? Earlier this year I announced $5.1 million for healthcare centers in rural northeastern Pennsylvania through the Health Care Cluster Grant.

I also secured $2.15 million for Maternal and Family Health Services in Luzerne County to expand health services for low-income, at-risk women, children and families.

I will always ensure people here get the healthcare they need, regardless of who they are or where they live.

There is no question that the country is divided right now, between racism, politics and other differences. What steps would you take to heal the country? I have spent my time in Congress as a consensus builder, consistently putting forth common sense ideas that have attracted the support of both Republicans and Democrats regardless of which party controlled Congress, or if a Democrat or Republican was in the White House.

Serving in Congress has never been about party for me, but serving our community.

A resident of Hazle Township, Bognet provided this background for the primary: I started my own small business to help firms with communications issues. I was appointed by President Trump to serve in his administration and later resigned to run against liberal Matt Cartwright after he voted to impeach President Trump. I have fought for conservative values my entire life and earned President Trump’s endorsement. I am pro-life, pro-wall, and pro-second amendment and will fight to bring back America First policies.