Harrisburg, PA. March 9th – This morning standing in front of the Pennsylvania State Capitol, Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta announced his intention to seek the Democratic nomination for Auditor General and challenge Republican Tim DeFoor for the powerful oversight role in 2024. At launch, he boasted the support of a majority of Pennsylvania’s Democratic congressional delegation (full list below), PA House and Senate leaders, Mayor Ed Gainey, and organized labor.

In his announcement, he discussed the critical nature of the role and his belief that “we need an underdog to be the watchdog for working families.”

He talked about his work in Harrisburg and how it prepares him to do this job. “As a State Representative for nearly five years, I have worked to protect workers’ rights, pass common-sense gun safety policies, and root out government corruption and waste. I’ve held multiple legislative leadership roles: as a member of the powerful State Government Committee with oversight on state agencies and elections, minority Chair of the Subcommittee on Campaign Finance and Elections, minority Chair of Automation and Technology in the Committee on Commerce, and a member of the Finance Committee.”

He also discussed his personal story growing up in a working poor family and outlined a bold agenda to reform the office and use it as a tool to “keep Pennsylvania families from being screwed.”

He highlighted a three-point agenda for the office that includes: Rebuilding the department of school audits (which was closed under Tim DeFoor), Creating a worker liaison and using the power of the office to take on wage theft, employee misclassification, and union busting, and Using the office to measure and support efforts to make communities healthier and safer.

Some of his day one endorsers released the following statements:

Speaker Joanna McClinton:
Malcolm is exactly what we need in the next Auditor General: tenacious, honest, and mission driven. I’ve watched him throughout his life and career center the needs of working Pennsylvanians. I know he will continue that work in this critical statewide role. I’m proud to endorse him.

Congressman Dwight Evans:
I’m proud to endorse Rep. Kenyatta to be our next Auditor General. I’ve served in Harrisburg and Washington. I know what it takes to deliver for people and so does Malcolm. As Auditor General I’m confident he will be a powerful and independent voice for common sense, good government, and fairness. He has worked hard around our commonwealth for years now — he can win and he will win.

Congressman Matt Cartwright:
Malcolm Kenyatta is unmovable in his support for working families and implacable in standing up to special interests. I’m supporting Kenyatta for Auditor General because I know he’ll be an independent voice for a government that works for us. He has the intellect, experience, and character to do this job. Malcolm is the Auditor General we need.
Mayor Ed Gainey:
I had the opportunity to serve with Malcolm and I’ve seen firsthand his commitment to working people. He doesn’t just talk the talk, he walks the walks. We need an Auditor General that is fearless and focused on making government work better. I have his back and I urge folks to join me.

Arthur Steinberg, President AFT Pennsylvania:
Malcolm believes deeply in the power of education and our public schools. He doesn’t just say it, he fights for it everyday in Harrisburg. The current Auditor General simply disbanded the entire school audits division to the detriment of students, families, and communities. When Rep. Kenyatta becomes Auditor General Kenyatta he will rebuild that office and hold all our schools accountable including cyber charter schools. We at AFT Pennsylvania are proud to have his back.

UFCW: We are proud to be amongst the first to endorse Malcolm Kenyatta for auditor general. Malcolm has been a steadfast supporter of our members and has always shown up when it mattered most. We know Malcolm has what it takes to ensure your taxpayer dollars are being put to good use, and we look forward to electing him as Pennsylvania’s next Auditor General.

Full list of endorsements:
Dwight Evans, Congressmember

Matt Cartwright, Congressmember

Madeleine Dean, Congressmember

Susan Wild, Congressmember

Summer Lee, Congressmember

Joanna McClinton, Speaker of the PA House

Jay Costa, PA State Senate Democratic Leader

Ed Gainey, Mayor of Pittsburgh

UFCW 1776
AFT Pennsylvania
Philadelphia Federation of Teachers.