As Auditor General Timothy DeFoor (R – Incumbent) reaches the end of his first term and aims for a second, he is challenged by Malcolm Kenyatta (D) and three third party candidates in the Nov. 5 election.
The auditor general ensures the state’s money is being properly managed by holding the federal government accountable for taxpayer dollars. A large part of their role is monitoring how public money is spent by examining government finances and reporting discrepancies.
Here’s a look at where the race stands.
Timothy DeFoor (R – Incumbent)
DeFoor has more than 25 years in public service. His role as the Dauphin County Controller in 2015 gave him the opportunity to establish Dauphin County’s first Audit Division and the Dauphin County Retirement Fund report, according to the Pennsylvania Department of the Auditor General’s website.
DeFoor said he is dedicated to ensuring Pennsylvania taxpayers are being treated fairly and with accuracy. If reelected, DeFoor’s first plan of action will be to unite the auditor general office and create career building opportunities for office members. He believes a foundation of strong leadership is crucial to conduct strong audits.
“What I’m proud of is that we changed the way that we do our audits and write our audits,” DeFoor told The Temple News. “As opposed to doing an audit, and if there’s a finding or an issue, as opposed to just placing blame, we came up with common sense solutions on how to fix a problem.”
In his current term, DeFoor’s “common sense” solution was to create the transformation officer position, a role responsible for continued improvement within the department. The position was created to provide office members with the adequate training and education necessary to build on their careers.
Malcolm Kenyatta (D)
Kenyatta, a North Philadelphia native and the democratic nominee, will be DeFoor’s major party opponent in the upcoming election. He received a bachelor’s degree in public communication from Temple in 2012.
As an openly gay Black man from an under-resourced neighborhood in Philadelphia, it is Kenyatta’s mission to campaign for social justice and equality. If elected, he hopes to do this by protecting voter rights and abolishing government corruption, he said.
Kenyatta’s campaign was recently endorsed by former President Barack Obama.
If elected, Kenyatta’s primary goal will be to formulate a department that benefits working people and increases access to affordable healthcare and housing. One of his primary missions is to connect with Pennsylvania residents and assure them their needs are being met.
“We need to ensure that people understand that there is one person in state government whose entire job, day in and day out, is to ensure that the government is working for them,” Kenyatta told The Temple News. “That is operating needs and that we are being thoughtful and respectful and prudent with taxpayers dollars.”
Eric Anton (American Solidarity Party)
Eric Anton has been an American Solidarity member since 2017, and was elected to its national committee in 2018 and 2023. As the incumbent state coordinator, he is the ASP auditor general nominee, according to the party’s website.
ASP is based on the tradition of Christian Democracy and brands itself with three core principles: common good, common ground and common sense. Their policies oppose abortion, value economic security and emphasize a community-oriented society. Anton describes the party as socially conservative and economically liberal.
“We believe in Christian democracy,” Anton told the Temple News. “Where your faith can promptly inform your values and then to conform how you act in the public sphere to the idea that we have a duty and an obligation to the least among us.”
Anton does not have his own campaign website.
Alan Goodrich (Constitution Party)
As the Pennsylvania Constitution Party chairman, Alan Goodrich and his political party are dedicated to ensuring party officers and leaders will be held to high conduct standards in dealing with the public, donors, government officials and candidates, according to the party’s website.
The Constitution Party strongly emphasizes reducing corrupt government and strives to elect honorable politicians. Their standards for righteous leaders include obtaining the three pillars: integrity, liberty, and prosperity. Their principles include being pro-life, granting the right to own property and protecting American sovereignty, according to the party website.
Goodrich does not have his own campaign website.
Reece Smith (Libertarian)
An anti-major-party politician, libertarian Reece Smith strives to bring attention to an overlooked office, according to his website.
As auditor general, Smith hopes to audit the state government and politicians and oppose bipartisan corruption. As a libertarian, he does not have confidence a major party leader will suffice in an auditor general position.
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