In a group keynote address last night at the Democratic National Convention, Pennsylvania Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta joined a chorus of Democratic leaders to urge party unity and drive voters to come out for Joe Biden, the new Democratic nominee for president, on Nov. 8.
Kenyatta has represented the 181st district, which encompasses Temple’s Main Campus, since 2018. Kenyatta, who grew up near campus, is a 2012 public communications alumnus, The Temple News reported.
The address was a mash-up of 17 speakers giving pre-recorded addresses edited into a short video.
In the nationwide broadcast, Kenyatta emphasized his personal connection to Biden, recalling the former Vice President’s early support for gay marriage.
“When I wanted to marry the man I loved, Joe Biden was the first national figure to support me and my family,” Kenyatta said, as his fiancé, Matthew Miller, made a cameo appearance from their living room.
“Appreciate you, man,” Miller added.
Biden was among the first high-ranking party leaders to come out in support of gay marriage in 2012, ahead of then-President Barack Obama. Biden has evolved on the issue over time, having supported the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, which defined marriage as being “between one man and one woman,” according to GovTrack, a website that tracks the U.S. Congress.
Kenyatta supported Biden during his 2020 presidential bid and appeared in one of his campaign videos earlier this year, The Temple News reported.
He endorsed Biden early in his presidential bid, joined by fellow state legislators Brendan Boyle, Conor Lamb and Chrissy Houlahan. Lamb and Boyle were also among the 17 address speakers.
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