By Keegan Gibson, Managing Editor

Lackawanna Commissioner Corey O’Brien has all but ruled out a congressional run in 2012, citing his desire to continue his work in the County and to stay near his family.

“My wife and I are looking forward to the birth of our fourth child in September,” O’Brien said at a recent Commissioners meeting. “I intend to be here as my kids grow up in our community and I intend to serve as county commissioner if so elected. I think that answers every question.”

O’Brien also addressed the possibility that Lackwanna County will end up in Rep. Tim Holden’s Schuylkill County-based district after redistricting this year – an idea that has achieved relative consensus among Republicans in Harrisburg and Washington DC.

“I’m not going to run against Tim Holden,” he said categorically.

That’s good news for Holden. PoliticsPA reported earlier that a challenge from O’Brien was one of a few scenarios that could put his otherwise safe seat seat in play.

The Times Tribune has the story, in which O’Brien’s Republican colleague Commissioner A.J. Munchak asked him point blank about the rumors at a recent meeting.

“My intention is to be a county commissioner,” Mr. O’Brien told Mr. Munchak. “I’m running for re-election because I think we have a done a decent job – not a great job, but I think we’ve done a decent job – and my focus is running for and serving as a county commissioner. … That’s why I’m running. I wouldn’t be running if I didn’t want to serve.”

O’Brien challenged long time incumbent Congressman Paul Kanjorski in the 2010 Democratic primary, and rumors had abounded that he may be positioning himself for another run.