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<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; Ron Ferrance has resigned as chairman of the Luzerne County Republican Party.</p><p>Ferrance said Thursday the time demands of being chairman are great and unfortunately are more than he can continue to give.</p><p>&#8220;Working with the great grassroots volunteers, turning the county more Republican and helping deliver the White House for Trump will be things I always remember,&#8221; Ferrance said. &#8220;As far as who will replace me, I do not know.&#8221;</p><p>When Ferrance assumed the post in July 2016, he planned to boost the party&#8217;s grassroots efforts in the county. Ferrance won the chairman&#8217;s gavel by a secret ballot vote of 82-62, immediately assuming the reigns from outgoing chairman Bill Urbanski.</p><p>Currently, there are 106,237 Democrats registered to vote in the county, compared to 76,226 Republicans, though the number of Republicans has gone up over the last two years.</p><p>&#8220;Normally, the vice chair would automatically take the role. However, he resigned as well,&#8221; Ferrance said in reference to Dave Baloga.</p><p>Efforts to independently confirm Baloga&#8217;s departure were not immediately successful Thursday.</p><p>Tuesday&#8217;s general election brought mixed results for Republican candidates in Luzerne County.</p><p>U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta, the Hazleton native who was challenging Sen. Bob Casey for a U.S. Senate seat, won the county with 54 percent of the vote, but lost his bid statewide.</p><p>Republican businessman Dan Meuser, who challenged Democrat Denny Wolff, won his bid for the 9th Congressional District seat with 64 percent of the vote in this county.</p><p>But Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf won re-election statewide, capturing 52 percent of the county vote.</p><p>And U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright, the Lackawanna County Democrat whose district includes parts of Luzerne County, won his bid for re-election over challenger John Chrin with 53 percent of the vote in Luzerne County.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Ferrance </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/web1_Ferrance.-1-.cmyk_-3.jpg</photo0><caption0>Ferrance </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Bill O&#8217;Boyle</p><p>boboyle@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Bill O&#8217;Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Ferrance resigns post as Luzerne County GOP chairman