Contrary to what he said just days ago, Harrisburg Controller and former Democratic candidate for Mayor Dan Miller is going to pay the filing fee to secure his spot on the ballot as the Republican Candidate for Mayor.

The decision to remain on the ballot comes after petition challenges were made against the two independent candidates for mayor, Nevin Mindlin and Nate Curtis.

A spokesman said Miller did not want local businessman Eric Papenfuse, the Democratic nominee, to have an unobstructed path to the office.

According to the Patriot-News Miller said of the recent shift, ”This changes everything,” and, “We need an honest discussion of the issues in Harrisburg, and you can’t do that with one candidate in the race.”

Miller was also quoted as saying that he would back out if the challenge to Mindlin and Curtis’s candidacy did not prevail. The petitions are set to be taken up by Judge Bernard Coates on Monday morning of next week.

Dan Miller came in second in the May 21st Democratic mayoral primary. Incumbent mayor Linda Thompson fell to third. He received enough write-in votes though from Republicans to run as one. Miller said on August 5th, he would not accept the nomination.