Scranton council candidates weigh in on preferences for mayor, council
Scranton's city council election this year, with three seats up for grabs, coincides with the mayoral election.
The Democratic candidates for council are Virgil Argenta, Patrick Flynn, Frankie Malacaria, Sean McAndrew, Todd Pousley and incumbent Councilman Tom Schuster.
Republican Marc Pane also is running in the GOP primary for a nomination for city council.
The Democratic ballot for mayor has incumbent Mayor Paige Gebhardt Cognetti challenged by former Scranton School Board President Bob Sheridan. The Republican ballot for mayor has accounting executive Patricia Beynon and business owner Lynn Labrosky each seeking the GOP nomination.
The Times-Tribune asked the council candidates who they will vote for mayor and for council, besides themselves.
Argenta declined to answer the questions and called them 'borderline election interference.'
Virgil Argenta, a candidate in the May 20, 2025 Democratic primary for Scranton City Council. (IMAGE PROVIDED / COURTESY OF VIRGIL ARGENTA)
Flynn, on mayoral candidates, said, 'Scranton deserves a City Council member who will work hard and always put our neighborhoods first no matter who's mayor. Council should be a strong check and balance, but also a partner in progress. I'll work with anyone to get results for Scranton, and I'll stand my ground when needed.' Regarding other council candidates, Flynn said, 'If I'm fortunate enough to win, I look forward to working with whoever else is elected to City Council. Progress takes teamwork, and I'm committed to doing what's best for our city in a collaborative manner, no matter the outcome of the other races.'
Patrick Flynn, a candidate in the May 20, 2025 Democratic primary election for a nomination to Scranton City Council. (PHOTO PROVIDED / COURTESY OF PATRICK FLYNN)
Malacaria said he will vote for Cognetti, calling her 'the best candidate running for mayor at this time,' and adding, 'While we don't always agree, I believe her leadership has set us toward the right direction.' As for other council candidates, Malacaria said he will vote for Pousley.
Frankie Malacaria, a candidate in the May 20, 2025 Democratic primary election for a nomination to Scranton City Council. (PHOTO PROVIDED / COURTESY OF FRANKIE MALACARIA)
McAndrew said he has 'serious concerns' about Cognetti's priorities. 'I won't be a rubber stamp. I'll stand up for working families and advocate for real solutions. At the same time, I'm committed to working with whomever is elected mayor, because putting our city first means finding common ground.' Regarding other council candidates, McAndrew said, 'I'll work with whomever is elected. Working together is the only way we make progress in our city.'
Sean McAndrew, a candidate in the May 20, 2025 Democratic primary election for a nomination to Scranton City Council. (PHOTO PROVIDED / COURTESY OF SEAN McANDREW)
Pousley said he will vote to re-elect Cognetti. 'Under her leadership, Scranton shed its distressed status after 30 years and is now on a solid financial footing. Our downtown is vibrant, with a growing residential population, and our neighborhoods are benefiting from park improvements, efforts to clean up blight and support for small businesses. I will work with the mayor, even when we disagree, to continue this positive forward momentum.' Cognetti on April 30 announced her endorsement of Pousley in the council race. He is the only council candidate Cognetti endorsed. Regarding other council candidates, Pousley said, 'There are other good candidates on the Democratic ticket and I'm still deciding who else I will vote for, but I know for certain I will not be voting for the candidates who are running as Democrats but don't actually share the values of the Democratic party. Their words and actions directed at me and other candidates demonstrate they can't be trusted to lead with integrity and work together to achieve results for Scranton residents.' He declined to identify those candidates.
Todd Pousley, a candidate in the May 20, 2025 Democratic primary election for a nomination to Scranton City Council. (PHOTO PROVIDED / COURTESY OF TODD POUSLEY)
Schuster, regarding mayoral candidates, said, 'I will leave that up to the voters,' and 'I will be happy to work with any of the candidates if elected.' As for other council candidates, Schuster said he believes there are 'serious red flags' regarding two of the other candidates, and he referenced articles in newspapers about one candidate's 'conflict of interest' regarding his 'employment with a non-profit that receives city funding;' and the other candidate's prior runs for Wilkes-Barre City Council. Schuster declined to identify those two candidates by name.
Scranton Councilman Tom Schuster,a candidate for re-election in the May 20, 2025 Democratic primary election for a nomination to Scranton City Council. (PHOTO PROVIDED / COURTESY OF TOM SCHUSTER)
Argenta is the only candidate for council in this primary who previously ran for a council seat in Wilkes-Barre. Argenta ran unsuccessfully in the 2003 and 2007 Democratic primaries for Wilkes-Barre City Council, and ran unsuccessfully in the 2011 general election as a Republican for Wilkes-Barre City Council, according to archives of The Citizens' Voice newspaper.
The Times-Tribune reported last month on Pousley saying he started a leave of absence March 27 from his job with NeighborWorks while he runs for city council because of concerns raised about a potential conflict of interest. If elected, Pousley acknowledged he would have a conflict of interest on any matter directly involving NeighborWorks, but the remedy to that would be for him to recuse himself from any such matter, discussion or vote, Pousley had said in that article. In a phone interview Friday, Pousley said of Schuster's 'red flag' comment, 'What I said previously still applies.' Pousley said he has since also sought an advisory opinion from the Pennsylvania State Ethics Commission, and that opinion mirrors his stance.
Pane answered the two questions about voting for mayor and council in one reply: 'Privacy in the voting booth allows voters to make decisions based on their own beliefs and preferences without feeling pressured to conform to the views of others. Voters are free to vote honestly and independently when their choices are confidential and it is the cornerstone of our democracy. Such questions would only promote more division in our already fractured community where we should be promoting unity instead. When I first became involved in politics, a good friend told me when someone tells you they will vote for you, you really can't believe them. He told me the only person you can believe 100% is the person who tells you they are not voting for you.'
Marc Pane, a candidate in the May 20, 2025 Republican primary election for a nomination to Scranton City Council. (PHOTO PROVIDED / COURTESY OF MARC PANE)
The three council seats available are those of Schuster and two held by Bill King and council President Gerald Smurl. King and Smurl are not running in the primary for reelection.
Winners of the primary will advance to run in the Nov. 4 general election.
The three winners of the general election would join on council the other two members not up for reelection this year: Mark McAndrew and Jessica Rothchild.
*
Virgil Argenta, a candidate in the May 20, 2025 Democratic primary for Scranton City Council. (IMAGE PROVIDED / COURTESY OF VIRGIL ARGENTA)
*
Patrick Flynn, a candidate in the May 20, 2025 Democratic primary election for a nomination to Scranton City Council. (PHOTO PROVIDED / COURTESY OF PATRICK FLYNN)
*
Frankie Malacaria, a candidate in the May 20, 2025 Democratic primary election for a nomination to Scranton City Council. (PHOTO PROVIDED / COURTESY OF FRANKIE MALACARIA)
*
Sean McAndrew, a candidate in the May 20, 2025 Democratic primary election for a nomination to Scranton City Council. (PHOTO PROVIDED / COURTESY OF SEAN McANDREW)
*
Todd Pousley, a candidate in the May 20, 2025 Democratic primary election for a nomination to Scranton City Council. (PHOTO PROVIDED / COURTESY OF TODD POUSLEY)
*
Scranton Councilman Tom Schuster,a candidate for re-election in the May 20, 2025 Democratic primary election for a nomination to Scranton City Council. (PHOTO PROVIDED / COURTESY OF TOM SCHUSTER)
*
Marc Pane, a candidate in the May 20, 2025 Republican primary election for a nomination to Scranton City Council. (PHOTO PROVIDED / COURTESY OF MARC PANE)
Show Caption
1 of 7
Virgil Argenta, a candidate in the May 20, 2025 Democratic primary for Scranton City Council. (IMAGE PROVIDED / COURTESY OF VIRGIL ARGENTA)
Expand
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
an hour ago
Democratic states double down on laws resisting Trump's immigration crackdown
As President Donald Trump's administration targets states and local governments for not cooperating with federal immigration authorities, lawmakers in some Democratic-led states are intensifying their resistance by strengthening state laws restricting such cooperation. In California alone, more than a dozen pro-immigrant bills passed either the Assembly or Senate this week, including one prohibiting schools from allowing federal immigration officials into nonpublic areas without a judicial warrant. Other state measures have sought to protect immigrants in housing, employment and police encounters, even as Trump's administration has ramped up arrests as part of his plan for mass deportations. In Connecticut, legislation pending before Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont would expand a law that already limits when law enforcement officers can cooperate with federal requests to detain immigrants. Among other things, it would let 'any aggrieved person' sue municipalities for alleged violations of the state's Trust Act. Two days after lawmakers gave final approval to the measure, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security included Connecticut on a list of hundreds of 'sanctuary jurisdictions' obstructing the enforcement of federal immigration laws. The list later was removed from the department's website after criticism that it errantly included some local governments that support Trump's immigration policies. Since taking office in January, Trump has enlisted hundreds of state and local law enforcement agencies to help identify immigrants in the U.S. illegally and detain them for potential deportation. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement now lists 640 such cooperative agreements, a nearly fivefold increase under Trump. Trump also has lifted longtime rules restricting immigration enforcement near schools, churches and hospitals, and ordered federal prosecutors to investigate state or local officials believed to be interfering with his crackdown on illegal immigration. The Department of Justice sued Colorado, Illinois and New York, as well as several cities in those states and New Jersey, alleging their policies violate the U.S. Constitution or federal immigration laws. Just three weeks after Colorado was sued, Democratic Gov. Jared Polis signed a wide-ranging law expanding the state's protections for immigrants. Among other things, it bars jails from delaying the release of inmates for immigration enforcement and allows penalties of up to $50,000 for public schools, colleges, libraries, child care centers and health care facilities that collect information about people's immigration status, with some exceptions. Polis rejected the administration's description of Colorado as a 'sanctuary state,' asserting that law officers remain 'deeply committed' to working with federal authorities on criminal investigations. 'But to be clear, state and local law enforcement cannot be commandeered to enforce federal civil immigration laws,' Polis said in a bill-signing statement. Illinois also has continued to press pro-immigrant legislation. A bill recently given final approval says no child can be denied a free public education because of immigration status — something already guaranteed nationwide under a 1982 U.S. Supreme Court decision. Supporters say the state legislation provides a backstop in case court precedent is overturned. The bill also requires schools to develop policies on handling requests from federal immigration officials and allows lawsuits for alleged violations of the measure. Democratic-led states are pursuing a wide range of means to protect immigrants. A new Oregon law bars landlords from inquiring about the immigration status of tenants or applicants. New laws in Washington declare it unprofessional conduct for bail bond agents to enforce civil immigration warrants, prohibit employers from using immigration status to threaten workers and let employees use paid sick leave to attend immigration proceedings for themselves or family members. Vermont last month repealed a state law that let law enforcement agencies enter into immigration enforcement agreements with federal authorities during state or national emergencies. They now need special permission from the governor to do so. As passed by the House, Maryland legislation also would have barred local governments from reaching immigration enforcement agreements with the federal government. That provision was removed in the Senate following pushback from some of the seven Maryland counties that currently have agreements. The final version, which took effect as law at the start of June, forbids public schools and libraries from granting federal immigration authorities access to nonpublic areas without a judicial warrant or 'exigent circumstances.' Maryland Del. Nicole Williams said residents' concerns about Trump's immigration policies prompted her to sponsor the legislation. 'We believe that diversity is our strength, and our role as elected officials is to make sure that all of the residents within our community — regardless of their background — feel safe and comfortable,' Williams said. Though legislation advancing in Democratic states may shield against Trump's policies, 'I would say it's more so to send a message to immigrant communities to let them know that they are welcome,' said Juan Avilez, a policy associate at the American Immigration Council, a nonprofit advocacy group. In California, a law that took effect in 2018 already requires public schools to adopt policies 'limiting assistance with immigration enforcement to the fullest extent possible.' Some schools have readily applied the law. When DHS officers attempted a welfare check on migrant children at two Los Angeles elementary schools in April, they were denied access by both principals. Legislation passed by the state Senate would reinforce such policies by specifically requiring a judicial warrant for public schools to let immigration authorities into nonpublic areas, allow students to be questioned or disclose information about students and their families. 'Having ICE in our schools means that you'll have parents who will not want to send their kids to school at all,' Democratic state Sen. Scott Wiener said in support of the bill. But some Republicans said the measure was 'injecting partisan immigration policies' into schools. 'We have yet to see a case in California where we have scary people in masks entering schools and ripping children away,' said state Sen. Marie Alvarado-Gil. 'Let's stop these fear tactics that do us an injustice.'
Hamilton Spectator
2 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Democratic states double down on laws resisting Trump's immigration crackdown
As President Donald Trump's administration targets states and local governments for not cooperating with federal immigration authorities, lawmakers in some Democratic-led states are intensifying their resistance by strengthening state laws restricting such cooperation. In California alone, more than a dozen pro-immigrant bills passed either the Assembly or Senate this week, including one prohibiting schools from allowing federal immigration officials into nonpublic areas without a judicial warrant. Other state measures have sought to protect immigrants in housing, employment and police encounters, even as Trump's administration has ramped up arrests as part of his plan for mass deportations. In Connecticut, legislation pending before Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont would expand a law that already limits when law enforcement officers can cooperate with federal requests to detain immigrants. Among other things, it would let 'any aggrieved person' sue municipalities for alleged violations of the state's Trust Act. Two days after lawmakers gave final approval to the measure, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security included Connecticut on a list of hundreds of 'sanctuary jurisdictions' obstructing the enforcement of federal immigration laws. The list later was removed from the department's website after criticism that it errantly included some local governments that support Trump's immigration policies. States split on whether to aid or resist Trump Since taking office in January, Trump has enlisted hundreds of state and local law enforcement agencies to help identify immigrants in the U.S. illegally and detain them for potential deportation. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement now lists 640 such cooperative agreements, a nearly fivefold increase under Trump. Trump also has lifted longtime rules restricting immigration enforcement near schools , churches and hospitals, and ordered federal prosecutors to investigate state or local officials believed to be interfering with his crackdown on illegal immigration. The Department of Justice sued Colorado, Illinois and New York, as well as several cities in those states and New Jersey , alleging their policies violate the U.S. Constitution or federal immigration laws. Just three weeks after Colorado was sued, Democratic Gov. Jared Polis signed a wide-ranging law expanding the state's protections for immigrants. Among other things, it bars jails from delaying the release of inmates for immigration enforcement and allows penalties of up to $50,000 for public schools, colleges, libraries, child care centers and health care facilities that collect information about people's immigration status, with some exceptions. Polis rejected the administration's description of Colorado as a 'sanctuary state,' asserting that law officers remain 'deeply committed' to working with federal authorities on criminal investigations. 'But to be clear, state and local law enforcement cannot be commandeered to enforce federal civil immigration laws,' Polis said in a bill-signing statement. Illinois also has continued to press pro-immigrant legislation. A bill recently given final approval says no child can be denied a free public education because of immigration status — something already guaranteed nationwide under a 1982 U.S. Supreme Court decision . Supporters say the state legislation provides a backstop in case court precedent is overturned. The bill also requires schools to develop policies on handling requests from federal immigration officials and allows lawsuits for alleged violations of the measure. Legislation supporting immigrants takes a variety of forms Democratic-led states are pursuing a wide range of means to protect immigrants. A new Oregon law bars landlords from inquiring about the immigration status of tenants or applicants. New laws in Washington declare it unprofessional conduct for bail bond agents to enforce civil immigration warrants, prohibit employers from using immigration status to threaten workers and let employees use paid sick leave to attend immigration proceedings for themselves or family members. Vermont last month repealed a state law that let law enforcement agencies enter into immigration enforcement agreements with federal authorities during state or national emergencies. They now need special permission from the governor to do so. As passed by the House, Maryland legislation also would have barred local governments from reaching immigration enforcement agreements with the federal government. That provision was removed in the Senate following pushback from some of the seven Maryland counties that currently have agreements. The final version, which took effect as law at the start of June, forbids public schools and libraries from granting federal immigration authorities access to nonpublic areas without a judicial warrant or 'exigent circumstances.' Maryland Del. Nicole Williams said residents' concerns about Trump's immigration policies prompted her to sponsor the legislation. 'We believe that diversity is our strength, and our role as elected officials is to make sure that all of the residents within our community — regardless of their background — feel safe and comfortable,' Williams said. Many new measures reinforce existing policies Though legislation advancing in Democratic states may shield against Trump's policies, 'I would say it's more so to send a message to immigrant communities to let them know that they are welcome,' said Juan Avilez, a policy associate at the American Immigration Council, a nonprofit advocacy group. In California, a law that took effect in 2018 already requires public schools to adopt policies 'limiting assistance with immigration enforcement to the fullest extent possible.' Some schools have readily applied the law. When DHS officers attempted a welfare check on migrant children at two Los Angeles elementary schools in April, they were denied access by both principals. Legislation passed by the state Senate would reinforce such policies by specifically requiring a judicial warrant for public schools to let immigration authorities into nonpublic areas, allow students to be questioned or disclose information about students and their families. 'Having ICE in our schools means that you'll have parents who will not want to send their kids to school at all,' Democratic state Sen. Scott Wiener said in support of the bill. But some Republicans said the measure was 'injecting partisan immigration policies' into schools. 'We have yet to see a case in California where we have scary people in masks entering schools and ripping children away,' said state Sen. Marie Alvarado-Gil. 'Let's stop these fear tactics that do us an injustice.' ___ Associated Press writers Susan Haigh, Trân Nguyễn, Jesse Bedayn, John O'Connor and Brian Witte contributed to this report. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Politico
2 hours ago
- Politico
Two House Republicans issue megabill threats as Senate ponders changes - Live Updates
Two House Republicans drew firm red lines Friday on changes to the House GOP megabill, threatening to vote 'no' if the Senate made any changes whatsoever to key provisions. Rep. Nick LaLota of New York warned GOP senators against lowering the House's $40,000 cap on the state-and-local-tax deduction, while Rep. Chip Roy of Texas vowed to oppose any attempt to delay or otherwise water down the phaseout of clean-energy tax credits provided for in the House-passed megabill. 'If the Senate waters it down by a dollar, I'm a no,' LaLota posted on X, arguing that the SALT cap as it stands is 'unfair' to his constituents. Roy was equally strict about GOP senators' hesitations on quickly phasing out clean-energy tax credits signed into law under former President Joe Biden — even calling out skeptical Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) by name in a floor speech Friday. Tillis has been critical of the phaseouts, saying the House bill is 'void of any understanding of just how these supply chains work.' 'You backslide one inch on those IRA subsidies and I'm voting against this bill,' Roy said. 'Because those god-forsaken subsidies are killing our energy, killing our grid, making us weaker, destroying our landscape, undermining our freedom. I'm not going to have it.'
