Rob Bresnahan Bio
Robert Paul Bresnahan Jr. (born April 22, 1990) is an American politician and businessman serving as the U.S. representative for Pennsylvania’s 8th congressional district since 2025. A member of the Republican Party, Bresnahan defeated incumbent Matt Cartwright in the 2024 election and took office on January 3, 2025. Prior to entering Congress, he built a career in construction and real estate development across Northeastern Pennsylvania.
Early Life and Background
Robert Paul Bresnahan Jr. was born on April 22, 1990, in Kingston, Pennsylvania. He grew up in the nearby borough of Wyoming, Pennsylvania, where he spent his formative years in the Wyoming Valley region. His family had long-standing ties to the local construction industry, which shaped his early professional interests.
Bresnahan graduated from Wyoming Seminary in 2008, completing his secondary education at the historic college-preparatory school in Northeast Pennsylvania. He then enrolled at the University of Scranton, where he studied business and played on the university golf team. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Scranton in 2012.
Path to US Politics
At the age of 19, Bresnahan became the chief financial officer of his grandfather’s highway electrical business, Kuharchik Construction, based in Exeter, Pennsylvania. After graduating from college in 2012, he returned to the company full-time and took over as chief executive officer in 2013, leading the family firm through a period of expansion.
In 2023, Bresnahan partnered Kuharchik Construction with Midwestern Electric near Chicago, Illinois, broadening the company’s geographic reach. He also founded RPB Ventures, a real estate development firm whose projects are concentrated on and around Main Street in Pittston, Pennsylvania. Alongside his business work, he served on several regional nonprofit boards, including Junior Achievement of NEPA, Big Brothers Big Sisters of NEPA, and the Luzerne County Industrial Development Authority.
In October 2023, Bresnahan filed to run for the Republican nomination for Pennsylvania’s 8th congressional district, a seat covering Lackawanna County, Wayne County, Pike County, and most of Luzerne and Monroe counties. His decision marked his formal entry into electoral politics and set the stage for his 2024 campaign.
Rob Bresnahan Career
Early Career (2009–2022)
Bresnahan’s professional career began in 2009 when, at 19, he was named chief financial officer of Kuharchik Construction, his grandfather’s highway electrical contracting business in Exeter, Pennsylvania. He balanced this role with his studies at the University of Scranton, where he played on the golf team and graduated in 2012.
After completing his degree, Bresnahan assumed the role of CEO of Kuharchik Construction in 2013 and led the firm for the next decade. During this period, he also founded RPB Ventures, a real estate development company focused on revitalizing properties along Main Street in Pittston, Pennsylvania. He served in leadership roles with several community organizations, including past president of the Wyoming Rotary Club, treasurer of the TecBRIDGE board, and interim president of the SPCA of Luzerne County board of directors.
2024 Congressional Campaign (2023–2024)
Bresnahan launched his congressional campaign in October 2023 by filing for the Republican nomination in Pennsylvania’s 8th congressional district. The district, located in Northeastern Pennsylvania, includes Lackawanna, Wayne, and Pike counties, along with most of Luzerne and Monroe counties.
In the November 2024 general election, Bresnahan faced longtime incumbent Democrat Matt Cartwright. He won the race, flipping the seat for the Republican Party. His victory was driven by a campaign that emphasized his local business background and roots in the Wyoming Valley region.
U.S. House of Representatives Era (2025–Present)
Bresnahan was sworn in as the U.S. representative for Pennsylvania’s 8th congressional district on January 3, 2025. In May 2025, he voted for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. He serves on committees of the 119th Congress, working on legislation affecting his district and the broader region.
In September 2025, Bresnahan co-sponsored a bill to raise the federal minimum wage based on regional cost of living, an effort aimed at tailoring wage policy to local economic conditions. He has continued to advocate for his Northeastern Pennsylvania constituents while balancing his ongoing business interests.
Notable Events and Milestones
The defining moment of Bresnahan’s career came on election night in November 2024, when he defeated longtime incumbent Matt Cartwright to flip Pennsylvania’s 8th congressional district for the Republicans. His victory was among the most closely watched House races of the cycle. Bresnahan’s reported net worth is estimated at $48 million, making him one of the wealthier members of the freshman class in the 119th Congress.
Rob Bresnahan Career Wins
Rob Bresnahan’s most significant political victory came in the 2024 general election, when he unseated incumbent Democrat Matt Cartwright in Pennsylvania’s 8th congressional district. His win flipped a seat that had been held by Democrats and represented a successful first bid for federal office.
Congressional Election Highlights
Bresnahan’s 2024 victory over Matt Cartwright was the culmination of a campaign launched in October 2023. He secured the Republican nomination and went on to win the general election in a district covering Lackawanna, Wayne, Pike, and most of Luzerne and Monroe counties in Northeastern Pennsylvania.
Other Wins & Achievements
Beyond electoral success, Bresnahan expanded Kuharchik Construction through a 2023 partnership with Midwestern Electric near Chicago, Illinois, growing the family business beyond its Pennsylvania base. He also established RPB Ventures as a real estate development firm focused on the Pittston, Pennsylvania, area.
Rob Bresnahan Family
Family Background and Business Lineage
Bresnahan comes from a family with deep roots in the Northeastern Pennsylvania construction industry. His grandfather founded Kuharchik Construction, the Exeter-based highway electrical business where Bresnahan began his career as chief financial officer at age 19. He later succeeded his grandfather as CEO and led the firm for nearly a decade before entering politics.
Personal Life
Bresnahan married Chelsea Strub, a former news anchor and reporter at WNEP-TV, on August 16, 2025. The couple resides in the Wyoming Valley region of Pennsylvania, where Bresnahan continues to balance his duties in Congress with his business and community commitments.