L. Brooks Patterson is going nowhere.

The longtime Oakland County executive won't resign before year's end to give fellow Republicans on the county commission the chance to appoint a successor before Democrats become the majority party on Jan. 1.

"Absolutely not," Patterson spokesman Bill Mullan said Wednesday. "County Executive Patterson will continue through the end of his current term. In fact, at his administration Christmas party, he told us he has not yet determined whether he'll seek an eighth term."

Patterson, who turns 80 on Jan. 4, told Crain's earlier this month he was "exploring" a year-end exit that would let his fellow Republicans keep a Democrat out of the county executive's office for another two years.

"At some point I'm going to have to surrender my office," Patterson told Crain's. "I don't own it. I merely rent it. It's owned by the people. The people have been gracious enough to return me to the office, and resigning this year is an option I'm exploring."

Patterson's seventh four-year term ends at the end of 2020. And he'll be sharing power with an 11-10 Democratic majority on the county commission, the first time Democrats have been in control in 42 years.

"I will negotiate and if I have to I'll drop the veto," Patterson said. "But I don't want to operate government by veto."

If Patterson were to leave office before his term ends, the Oakland County Commission would be able to appoint a new executive for the remainder of the term.

In the Dec. 4 interview with Crain's, the bombastic and outspoken suburban Republican leader took a few shots at Detroit — his longtime political punching bag — in explaining why Oakland County has become an increasingly reliable Democratic county in statewide and local elections.

Patterson compared Detroiters leaving the city for his county to Mexican and Central American immigrants trying to cross the U.S. southern border.

"I don't understand that phenomenon with high crime, high taxes and little services," Patterson said. "Nobody is under investigation for corruption here ... If Detroit empties out and they come out here in mass numbers, I feel like the governor of Texas standing at the gates."

Crain's Reporter Kirk Pinho contributed.

Chad Livengood: (313) 446-1654

Twitter: @ChadLivengood