Pennsylvania State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, a 2012 Temple alumnus, received an endorsement from former President Barack Obama for his campaign for Pennsylvania’s next Auditor General Thursday evening. The endorsement was announced in a rally held for Vice President Kamala Harris in Pittsburgh.
“Today is one I’ll never forget,” Kenyatta wrote in a statement to The Temple News. “To have the endorsement of President Obama is deeply emotional and I look forward to finishing this race strong and flipping this seat this November.”
The rally included other political representatives, including Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and U.S. Sen. Bob Casey.
“It’s time like these when you realize, that having honest, competent leadership in government really matters, it makes a difference,” Obama said. “And today I’m asking you to vote for some of those leaders including some folks we need working with your outstanding governor who you just heard from, Governor Josh Shapiro. We need them in Harrisburg, so we need you to vote for your next Auditor General, Malcolm Kenyatta.”
Kenyatta is the democratic nominee for Auditor General of Pennsylvania, running against Republican incumbent Tim DeFoor. In previous years, he ran for a U.S. Senate seat in 2022 but lost to Sen. John Fetterman in the Pennsylvania Democratic primaries.
Kenyatta currently serves District 181 in Philadelphia County as a state representative. District 181 includes Main Campus and part of North Central neighborhoods. He is also seeking re-election for his State Representative seat, where he is not challenged.
The Pennsylvania State Rep. started his political rise during his time at Temple. While on campus, he created Students Together in Ending Pain and Suicide, a club dedicated to suicide prevention and awareness. After graduating, he was elected to the State House of Representatives in 2018 as the first openly LGBTQ+ person of color.
Kenyatta spoke alongside Shapiro and Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis at the Democratic National Convention this past August, highlighting the threats of Project 2025 and the conservative plan. He was also selected as an elector for the 2020 election between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump.
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