Losing an election doesn’t always have to turn out bad. Just ask former House Democratic Leader Frank Dermody, who on Thursday was named the newest member to the state’s Gaming Control Board.

Mr. Dermody, who lost his bid for a 16th term in the state House in November to Carrie DelRosso in what was the biggest upset of all the legislative races, was appointed by House Democratic Leader Joanna McClinton of Philadelphia to serve on the seven-member gaming control board for the next two years.

The coveted spots on this board are selected by the governor, who gets four appointments, and caucus legislative leaders, each of whom gets one. The board is charged with ensuring the integrity of legalized gaming in Pennsylvania. Being a member comes with a handsome $145,000 salary. As House Democratic leader, Mr. Dermody was earning close to $131,000.

“Frank Dermody has been a respected leader in Pennsylvania for many years and I’m pleased that he agreed to continue his public service at the Gaming Control Board,” Ms. McClinton said in a statement announcing the appointment. “He participated in setting the legislative foundation for our gaming industry, which has grown in just over a decade to become a national leader. Frank’s legal background and legislative experience are outstanding assets for his work as a gaming regulator.”

Mr. Dermody, of Oakmont, served the last 10 years of his three-decade-long service in the House as the leader of the chamber’s Democratic caucus. 

He was defeated by Ms. DelRosso, a former borough councilwoman who runs a public affairs and marketing company. Observers partially credited Ms. DelRosso’s victory to picking up some union support, which political insiders said was a payback for some of Mr. Dermody’s votes that were seen as not so union-friendly. Additionally, the historically predominantly Democratic 33rd House District that Ms. DelRosso represents is seeing an increase in the number of registered Republican voters.

Before his legislative service, Mr. Dermody was an assistant district attorney and magisterial district judge. He also served on the Pennsylvania Commission on Sentencing for 19 years, including 12 years as the commission’s chairman. In 1994, he was asked by House leaders to guide the impeachment of a Pennsylvania Supreme Court justice, Rolf Larsen, and he prosecuted the case in a trial before the state Senate.

He grew up in Clarks Summit, Lackawanna County, and is a graduate of Columbia University and the Indiana University-Bloomington School of Law.

First Published: January 28, 2021, 5:42 p.m.