Philadelphia Malcolm Kenyatta defeated Lehigh County Comptroller Mark Pinsley on Tuesday night securing the Democratic nomination for state auditor general.
The state representative won the contest with 64.1 percent. votes, compared to 35.9 percent Pinsley.
“I would like to thank Mark Pinsley and Speaker Rozzi for a close primary race,” Kenyatta said in a statement. “I am very grateful for the support I have received throughout the Commonwealth. I am honored to be nominated and look forward to serving you as your next Auditor General.
“”I am running to be the next Auditor General because it is time for an underdog to become the guardian of Pennsylvania’s working families. As an auditor, on day one I will rebuild the Office of School Audits and demand accountability from all schools. I will also create the first-ever Office of Labor and Worker Protection to address wage theft, worker misclassification, and union busting. Additionally, I will leverage the office’s capabilities to measure and support efforts to make communities healthier and safer.”
“Malcolm’s overwhelming victory in this race is a big deal. “Not so long ago, the idea that a gay black man from Philadelphia would be nominated for office in Pennsylvania would have been unimaginable,” he said. Brandon Wilk, National Press Secretary, Human Rights Campaign. “Above all, this victory is a testament to Malcolm’s unwavering work ethic and the fact that Pennsylvanians know they will support him as Auditor General. But it also sends the message that more than 4 million equal-opportunity voters in Pennsylvania are engaged in this election and ready to power Malcolm Kenyatta and deliver a pro-equality ticket to victory in the general election.”
Kenyatta will advance to the general election in the 181st legislative district. If he wins both races, he is expected to resign his House seat.
Pinsley’s overall audit campaign focused on his audit experiences as a controller and business owner.
Kenyatta has served in the state House of Representatives since 2019. In 2022, he lost the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate.
Pinsley I received a call from LehighValleyNews.com on Tuesday evening but he hung up without a word. A second call seeking comment on the race went to voicemail.
Kenyatta will meet with the incumbent Republican Tim DeFoor in the general elections.
