The auditor general heads the Pennsylvania Department of the Auditor General as the chief financial watchdog of the Commonwealth and is tasked with conducting and releasing periodic
audits of state agencies to ensure all state money is spent legally and properly. Annual tasks include conducting thousands of audits on agencies, including school districts, municipal pension plans,
volunteer firefighter relief associations, and state correctional facilities as legislation requires. The position has a two-term limit, with incumbent Republican Timothy DeFoor vying for his next four years,
while Pa. Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta and Lehigh County controller Mark Pinsley are the Democratic hopefuls.
MALCOLM KENYATTA
BIOGRAPHY
Grew up in Philadelphia. Elected to the 181st state House district in 2018, becoming the first openly LGBTQ+ person of color elected to the Pennsylvania General Assembly and then the first LGBTQ+ person of color to run for U.S. Senate in 2022. Holds a master's degree in strategic and digital communications from Drexel University and completed the Harvard Kennedy School's Executives in State and Local Government program.
ELECTIONS
Member of the State Government Committee, which commits to oversight on state agencies and elections, and as the minority chair of the Subcommittee on Campaign Finance and Elections.
EDUCATION
Pledges to rebuild the Bureau of School Audits, restart the annual compliance audits, and demand accountability from all Pennsylvania schools, especially cyber charter schools.
LABOR
Touts himself as a "a vocal proponent of protecting workers' rights." Pledges to create the first
ever Bureau of Labor and Worker Protections to address wage theft, employee misclassification, and union-busting.
ENVIRONMENT
Co-sponsored a 2023 bill that would require an environmental impact statement be produced before the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection issues a permit for the building of certain facilities in environmental justice areas.
ENDORSEMENTS
Pa. Dems, Philadelphia Federation of Teachers, United Food and Commercial Workers, Philadelphia Council of the AFL-CIO, American Federation of Teachers, Pennsylvania State Building and Construction Trades Council, Working Families Party
MARK PINSLEY
BIOGRAPHY
Grew up in Montgomery Co. MBA from Indiana. Lehigh County controller since 2020. Worked to move over $140 million in county funds from a bank that donated to anti-choice candidates to a politically neutral bank. Previously held posts in senior staff postions at multibillion-dollar companies. Touts master's-level education in business and work experience as prerequisites he holds for serving as the auditor general.
ELECTIONS
Pledges to conduct an audit of how the state supports county election officers and to evaluate county election departments to ensure Pa. "invests in and rigorously defends" democracy.
EDUCATION
Promises a sweeping audit of public education system to address underfunding of free education system. Says kids currently go to schools in outdated buildings and are taught on old equipment.
LABOR
Wants to "look into" Pa.'s workforce development programs to ensure they’re effective.
ENVIRONMENT
Ran on banning single-use plastics, transitioning Pa. to 100% renewable energy and decarbonizing the economy by 2050, and holding fossil fuel companies accountable for the pollution in 2022 State Senate campaign.
ENDORSEMENTS
None listed
TIMOTHY DEFOOR
BIOGRAPHY
Incumbent. From Harrisburg. Holds a master's degree in project management from Harrisburg University of Science and Technology. Has served as auditor general since 2021 and was the first person of color elected to the post in Pa. history. Pledged in previous campaign that office wouldn't "weaponize" audits and would strictly follow the law. Formerly served as special investigator with the Commonwealth and as the Dauphin County Controller.
ELECTIONS
Previously made headlines for refusing to affirm that the 2020 election was fair, while still claiming that he was elected legitimately.
EDUCATION
Either completed or started 18 school district audits, including of public and charter schools, in 2023 alone. Released an audit that identified school districts moving money so they would meet the state threshold to raise taxes. Worked with the general assembly to advocate that financial literacy be taught in K-12 school system.
LABOR
Aims to create the first “Workforce Development Team” to assure that every employee has resources, such as training and education to perform their responsibilities, while creating a career ladder and opportunities for entry-level auditors to advance to management.
ENVIRONMENT
Has not publicly addressed prospective environmental initiatives on his public campaign website.
Endorsements
Pa. GOP
