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McCLURE - A Dauphin County Commissioner planning to make a run for Lieutenant Governor in 2010 joined area Republicans Thursday evening at the Mifflin County Republican's fall dinner at Decatur Fire Hall in McClure.

Nick DiFrancesco lives in Lower Swatara Township in Dauphin County- along with his wife and two children- where he is serving his second term as a county commissioner.

"I gave up being at a Dauphin County dinner to be here because it's more fun to be up here, and the reason why it's more fun is because this county delivers," DiFrancesco said. "Your registration has remained mainly Republican."

He continued, "We need to declare Pennsylvania a Republican state regardless of registration - I believe two-thirds of the state is conservative."

DiFrancesco said one of the reasons he decided to enter the race for lieutenant governor is because of the current governor's disconnect from the people of Pennsylvania.

"Most people in Pennsylvania believe their governor and government stopped listening," DiFrancesco said. "People ask me why I want to run and I tell them it's because we need people who are willing to stand up and grab the bull by the horns."

According to information on DiFrancesco's campaign Web site, as a commissioner he has worked to end reckless spending and erased massive public debt, and has built up a $30 million budget surplus by imposing a countywide hiring freeze and shrinking the government work force.

More information about DiFrancesco and his campaign is available on his site, www.joinnick.org.

Also during the event, three long-time members of the Mifflin County Republican Party were recognized for their extensive service within the party: Wanda Gable, Ed Fike and Art Kauffman.