SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) With the primary election just 21-days away, the fight for the Lackawanna County commissioner seats has take a new twist. 

Tuesday night the Republican Party of Lackawanna County voted to endorse two of the three candidates running and not the current sitting commissioner, Laureen Cummings. 

The party voted for Chris Chermak and Mike Giannetta who are running as a team because voters can vote for two in both the primaries and regular election. 

Commissioner Cummings says “the republicans are the people in the county. They can vote for who ever they want.”

Giannetta says “Chris and I respect the members of the executive committee and appreciate their confidence in our team to win the majority in November.”

Last week we spoke to Chermak and Giannetta about running for two of the three commissioner seats. 

“We need to return integrity and openness and transparency to county government,” said Giannetta

His counterpart says “I think we need two people like Mike and I that can win the majority so we can do a much, much better job for the residents of Lackawanna County,” said Chermak. 

Incumbent Laureen Cummings says she will continue her work if re-elected. “I did not raise taxes in three and half years, I cut the budget, I consolidated county offices with my fellow commissioners. Given them (residents) everything that I have promised to do I did and more. They will learn more as the upcoming weeks come ahead,” said Commissioner Cummings. 

The chairperson with the Republican Party of Lackawanna County, Karen Clifford says “team is absolutely critical as we look to November. The G.O.P wants a majority win in November.”

In 2015 Commissioner Laureen Cummings was the first female to be elected to a commissioner seat. 

Four candidates are running on the democratic side. County Commissioner Patrick O’Malley teamed up with Debra Domenick. Commisisoner Jerry Notarianni is running with businessman George Kelly. 

Residents can vote for their two candidates on Tuesday May 21st. 

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