The Pennsylvania State Democratic Committee met last weekend in Harrisburg and made endorsements for four positions in the upcoming 2024 election.

• U.S. President: President Joe Biden
• U.S. Senate: Senator Bob Casey
• Auditor General: State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta (D-Philadelphia)
• Treasurer: State Rep. Ryan Bizarro (D-Erie)

“I am pleased and proud that democracy was served yesterday in Pennsylvania,” said Rep. Sharif Street (D-Philadelphia), chair of the committee. “We had over 340 State Committee members voting today. Those members overwhelmingly voted to endorse Malcolm Kenyatta for Auditor General. This shows that the Pennsylvania Democratic Party is embracing young candidates, diverse candidates, LGBTQ+ candidates. We embraced Ryan Bizzarro for Treasurer who comes from the opposite corner of the state. Both Malcolm and Ryan are proven legislators with a track record of leadership.

“We had a strong group of candidates for Attorney General although there was no endorsement,” he continued. “Critically, we unanimously endorsed President Joe Biden and Senator Bob Casey because it is imperative for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the United States as a whole that they both get reelected.”

“My heart is full and my vision is clear: we must have to flip this seat in 2024,” said Kenyatta, the first African-American nominated by the PA Democrats for Auditor General and the first openly LGBTQ person ever nominated by any political party in Pennsylvania history.

“I’m running for Auditor General because working families deserve a government that works for us. I’ll rebuild the Bureau of School Audits, which has been dismantled by the incumbent. We’ll create a Bureau of Labor and Worker Protections and use every tool at my disposal to stand up for organized labor and working people. I know in my bones the impact of a government program that works or doesn’t. I’ll be the bold watchdog and public advocate that we need.”

“I am truly humbled and honored to earn the support of my party and the people who’ve dedicated their lives to building a better future for working families of every type and every size,” said Bizzarro, who would be the first statewide office holder from Erie County since former Governor and Homeland Security Advisor Tom Ridge. “We made history today, but we’re just getting started.

“This is a clear message by Democrats from every corner of the commonwealth – we need candidates who can defeat the extremists, preserve our rights, and defend our future. We can’t afford to waste time and effort fighting each other when the extremists have their eyes on ending women’s rights, worker’s rights, and democracy itself. The special interests are going to be targeting Pennsylvania, and I’m ready to fight and win – and help get Democrats elected from the State House to the White House.”

The Pennsylvania Democrats did not hand out a party endorsement in the five-person race for Attorney General, as none of the quintet was able to secure the two-thirds majority needed to get the party backing.

On the first ballot, former Pennsylvania Auditor General Eugene DePasquale led the way with 132 votes, while former Philadelphia Chief Public Defender Keir Bradford-Grey and former Bucks County solicitor and federal prosecutor Joe Khan were next with 73 and 61 votes, respectively.

Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer and state Rep. Jared Solomon (D-Philadelphia) were eliminated from the second round of balloting after pulling in just 50 and 17 votes, respectively.

DePasquale was the top vote-getter on the second ballot with 164, but fell short of the two-thirds majority needed to secure the endorsement. Khan (75) and Bradford-Grey (74) were a distant second and third.

As of this date, the Republican Party of Pennsylvania has not endorsed a candidate for Attorney General, although it is becoming increasingly likely that the GOP will back York County District Attorney Dave Sunday for the position over former Delaware County District Attorney Kat Copeland, and state Rep. Craig Williams (R-Delaware).

The Republicans have also endorsed Dave McCormick for U.S. Senate, as well as incumbents Stacy Garrity for state treasurer and Tim DeFoor for auditor general.