The Jasmeet Bains and Paige Cognetti Endorsements
The latest additions to the Win the Middle Slate have what it takes to win in tough races.
Welcome is proud to announce the additions of Dr. Jasmeet Bains (CA-22) and Mayor Paige Cognetti (PA-08) to its Win the Middle slate for the 2026 election cycle. Dr. Bains and Mayor Cognetti are two leaders who have proven they can win trust across party lines and deliver for their communities.
Both candidates embody what it takes to win in competitive territory: local authenticity rooted in real world experience, a willingness to buck political pressure when it matters, and a record of putting community ahead of party.
Paige Cognetti: A local leader who took on the machine and won
Paige Cognetti’s rise in northeastern Pennsylvania began not by climbing a party ladder, but by taking a broken system head-on.
After years working in government oversight and accountability, Cognetti stepped into Scranton politics in 2019 after Scranton’s mayor was indicted for extortion. When the local Democratic establishment closed ranks around its preferred candidate, she made the bold decision to run as an Independent.
In the 2019 special election for mayor, Cognetti rejected the machine politics that had become the norm in the city and appealed directly to voters by running on a platform of transparency, fiscal responsibility, and reform. She won, becoming Scranton’s first female mayor and sending a clear message that voters wanted clean government and practical leadership.
Two years later, Cognetti ran for a full term as a Democrat and won decisively, continuing her focus on stabilizing city finances, investing in infrastructure, and restoring confidence in local government.
Now she’s running for Congress to defeat Republican Rob Bresnahan, who campaigned on a promise to ban members of Congress from trading stocks, then became one of the most prolific traders in Congress. Bresnahan has made headlines for trades that coincide with his votes – he dumped up to $130,000 in Medicaid provider stock the week before he voted for the largest Medicaid cuts in history. He’s also bought AI stocks while pushing for data centers.
Cognetti’s independence, her willingness to stand up to party insiders, and her results-first type of leadership is exactly why she’s the right candidate for Pennsylvania’s 8th, a swing district that will help determine control of the U.S. House. Cognetti isn’t defined by party labels; she’s defined by delivering for working families, rooting out government corruption, and meeting voters where they are.
Dr. Jasmeet Bains: A Doctor who brings real-world solutions to public service
Dr. Jasmeet Bains comes to politics the same way she came to public life: through service.
A family physician and addiction specialist in California’s Central Valley, Dr. Bains has spent her career on the frontlines of healthcare, treating patients, navigating broken systems, and seeing firsthand how policy decisions affect everyday lives in rural and working-class communities.
When she ran for the California State Assembly in 2022, she did so not as a career politician, but as a doctor determined to fix problems she had lived with every day: lack of access to care, rising costs, and communities too often overlooked by Sacramento and Washington alike.
Since taking office, Dr. Bains has built a reputation as a pragmatic legislator focused on results and standing up for the economic realities of the Valley. She has shown she is willing to break from party pressure when she believes policies would increase costs or threaten local jobs.
As CalMatters observed, Bains “has never been particularly shy about voting ‘no,’ even if it irks her Democratic colleagues,” reflecting her willingness to put her constituents ahead of political convenience.
That independence is rooted in the people she represents. Dr. Bains has made clear that her priority is ensuring Central Valley families can afford to live, work, and build their futures in their own communities. Her approach has earned credibility across a diverse district that expects leaders who understand working-class realities and deliver practical solutions.
In her run for Congress, Dr. Bains brings what Washington desperately needs: real-world experience, independence, and a commitment to fighting for affordability, local jobs, and the communities she serves.
Support Dr. Jasmeet Bains and Mayor Paige Cognetti
These two races in Trump-won districts will be among Republicans’ top targets in 2026. Incumbents David Valadao in CA-22 and Rob Bresnahan in PA-08 have both been named NRCC “Patriots,” signaling that national Republicans are prepared to pour millions in outside spending into defending these seats. Winning here will take early resources, strong grassroots support, and sustained investment, which is why supporting Dr. Bains and Mayor Cognetti now is critical.