Pa. Democrats give history-making nod to Kenyatta for auditor general, but won’t endorse in the attorney general race

HARRISBURG — The Pennsylvania Democratic Party declined to endorse in the crowded race for attorney general, leaving the primary open to the five-candidate field.

Democrats want to maintain their control of the state’s top law enforcement office, which is widely seen as a springboard to higher office. They also want to flip the two other row offices — auditor general and treasurer, which they lost in the 2020 election as part of down-ballot wins for Republicans that year.

The party made history in its endorsement of State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta (D., Philadelphia) for auditor general. Kenyatta is the first openly gay Black man endorsed by the party for a statewide office. He received more than 90% of the committee’s vote to get the endorsement over Lehigh County Controller Mark Pinsley. (Former House Speaker Mark Rozzi, the third candidate in the race, did not attend the Saturday meeting and no one nominated him to be endorsed by the party.)

“It’s critical that we have somebody in statewide office who is from Philadelphia, who’s putting not only our values forward, but who understands the real concerns of the folks who need government to work, to show up in their lives, and the ways that can be transformative,” Kenyatta said in an interview after his endorsement.

Kenyatta said he hopes to approach the auditor general role, which is the state’s top fiscal watchdog, in a similar way to New York’s public advocate role. For example, he wants to complete a comprehensive audit of all the environmental and deferred maintenance needs on Pennsylvania’s schools — building on some of the work state House Democrats achieved earlier in the week.

For treasurer, the party endorsed State Rep. Ryan Bizzarro (D., Erie) over former congressional candidate Erin McClelland. The party also unanimously endorsed President Joe Biden and U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, both Scranton natives.

Whoever wins the primary election will challenge the Republican incumbents: Auditor General Tim DeFoor and Treasurer Stacy Garrity. The seat for attorney general is open, as Attorney General Michelle Henry finishes out the rest of former Gov. Josh Shapiro’s second term. The Pennsylvania GOP plans to endorse virtually in that race ahead of its winter meeting in February.

While the party declined to endorse in the attorney general race, the endorsement votes offer an early look into who Democrats may favor going into the primary, about four months out from Pennsylvania’s election on April 23, 2024.

Eugene DePasquale, the former auditor general and attorney general candidate, was the top candidate on two ballots to endorse in the race. DePasquale picked up some votes on the second ballot, but still did not meet the two-thirds threshold to get the party’s endorsement.

“To get 52% of the vote on the second ballot, I feel it shows I have strength in all areas of the state,” DePasquale said after the meeting. “People know that I’ll take on tough fights, and that really helped carry the day.”

Philadelphia’s former top public defender Keir Bradford-Grey and former Bucks County solicitor Joe Khan were neck-and-neck on the second ballot as the party’s second-favorite pick.

Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer, who already received the coveted Philadelphia Building Trades endorsement, came in fourth on the first ballot, with Rep. Jared Solomon (D., Philadelphia) following in last place.

The Democratic primary for attorney general will likely shift to whether a Democratic attorney general would appoint a special prosecutor to investigate SEPTA crimes, which is a new power for the state’s top law enforcement officer under a new law signed this past week.