SCRANTON, Pa. — The Lackawanna County Democratic Committee elected school counselor Larissa Cleary Valonis as its new chairwoman Tuesday, capping off weeks of internal party drama over an attempt by the former chair to purge dozens of committee members.
The reorganization meeting, held at the Hilton Scranton and Conference Center, drew a total of 298 credentialed committee voters, which included 109 proxy ballots.
The vote was overseen in person by Pennsylvania Democratic Party Chairman Eugene DePasquale, the state's former auditor general. The state party stepped in to resolve the county-level dispute and facilitate the election of new leadership. Because of the state's intervention, 76 elected committee members whom the former chairman had tried to remove were permitted to participate and cast their ballots.
During the session, DePasquale stressed the critical importance of a unified party as Democrats gear up for crucial upcoming congressional and state-level elections.
