Pa.’s only Black Republican elected to state government didn’t attend Trump’s North Philly rally

As former President Donald Trump tried to attract Black voters in North Philadelphia last week, Pennsylvania’s only elected Black Republican in state government did not attend.

Pennsylvania Auditor General Tim DeFoor, the first person of color to hold a statewide row office and the only Black Republican currently elected to state government, has continually distanced himself from Trump.

DeFoor, who is running for a second term in November, said in a statement Tuesday that he did not attend Trump’s rally because he had a prior engagement scheduled before he knew about the event. He said he is “fully supportive of the Republican Party.”

When asked why he didn’t attend Trump’s rally intended to appeal to Black voters, DeFoor still avoided mentioning Trump by name.

“I’m pleased that our candidates are reaching out to all communities with our message of fiscal restraint and safer neighborhoods,” DeFoor added. “We are a big tent party and we welcome support from all voters.”

While his fellow Republican incumbent row officer, Treasurer Stacy Garrity, is an outspoken supporter of Trump’s, DeFoor has largely avoided talking about him. DeFoor also mulled aligning with the centrist Forward Party last month, but backed out due to concerns that voters would incorrectly think he was leaving the Republican Party.

Following the 2020 presidential election, Trump demanded that Pennsylvania audit its election and spread false claims of voter fraud. But DeFoor said his own election was fair. “As far as anybody else’s election, that’s a conversation that you would have to have with them,” DeFoor added, in a 2021 House committee hearing.

Republicans are trying to capitalize on recent polling showing that his support among non-white voters may have strengthened, while Biden’s support from non-white voters has slipped. Trump’s campaign has localized this effort in Philadelphia by opening a campaign office in Northeast Philadelphia and hosting his first-ever Philly rally last week. GOP members of Congress, U.S. Reps. Byron Daniels (R., Fla.) and Wesley Hunt (R., Texas) held a “Congress, Cognac and Cigars” event earlier this month to “garner the black male vote” that led to backlash after Daniels, who is Black, made controversial comments about the Jim Crow era.

Trump’s rally at Temple University on Saturday was in the state House district of Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, DeFoor’s Democratic opponent in November. Kenyatta spoke at a news conference hours before the rally, and criticized Trump’s attempts at outreach to Black communities.

“Tim doesn’t have the guts to stand up to Donald Trump,” Kenyatta said in a statement. “Pennsylvanians deserve an auditor general who will stand up for our democracy and who will work to make our government one that works for them. That’s what I’ll do.”