SCRANTON -- Three years into his first term as Lackawanna County's Minority Commissioner, Pat O'Malley filled out the paperwork to switch from a Republican to a Democrat. A switch like this in the middle of a term might be unprecedented for Lackawanna County.
Lackawanna County Democratic Party Chair Chris Patrick came up with the idea and asked O'Malley to join majority commissioner Jim Wansacz as a running mate for the 2015 election.
This comes after Wansacz's former running mate, Corey O'Brien, resigned from his post earlier this month.
"I never thought of myself as a flip-flopper. I thought I was a person that represented the people, like a statesman. And that`s what I`m here to do. I`m going to be working on behalf of them for the next nine months, and hopefully the next four years after that," O'Malley said.
Usually in a county commissioner form of government, there are two majority commissioners of one party and a third from the opposite party. Until the general election in November, O'Malley and Wansacz are now in the same party but still hold different positions.
Wansacz told Newswatch 16 he's not concerned about losing the form of government's built-in system of checks and balances.
"I am not, because it`s not about that. It`s about doing your job," Wansacz said.
The commissioners said they have worked well together over the past four years. That's why they've decided to put their names on the same ticket for the primary election in May.
