Former Pennsylvania Speaker of the House Mark Rozzi (D-Berks) announced that he is a candidate for the position of state Auditor General.

He made the announcement during an event at the Berks County Democratic Committee headquarters in Reading on Saturday.

The 52-year-old Muhlenberg Township resident also said he will not seek reelection for his House seat in the 126th District in next year’s election.

Rozzi teased a run for Auditor General in July while promoting a bill restricting lawmakers from running for more than one seat at once. He says that bill remains in committee but he continues to push for it.

“I think when I see politicians (run for two offices at once), to me, that is the most selfish thing that they can do,” said Rozzi on Friday.

“I want people to know that I’m all in on running for auditor general,” he said.

The Pennsylvania Department of the Auditor General is the chief fiscal watchdog of the commonwealth. It is responsible for using audits – financial, performance, and attestation engagements – to ensure that all state money is spent legally and properly.

Rozzi, who has represented Berks County since 2013, enters a Democratic primary race against state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta (D-Philadelphia), who finished third in the 2022 primary for U.S. Senate.

Republican incumbent Timothy DeFoor has also declared his intention to run for another term and has been unanimously endorsed by the Republican Party of Pennsylvania.

When asked about Rozzi entering the race, Kenyatta said he’s focused on a general election against DeFoor, saying leaders across the state believe he “is the person who can win this race and actually deliver a government that works for working people.”

“I believe I’m a better candidate that represents Pennsylvania better,” said Rozzi, who referred to himself as a “centrist”.

Unlike Rozzi, Kenyatta has said he plans to run for his House seat in 2024.

“I trust voters to make decisions about who they want to represent them more than I trust insiders in Harrisburg,” said Kenyatta in response to Rozzi’s “vote for one” bill earlier this year. “Let voters vote.”

Rozzi served as Speaker of the House during the first two months of 2023.

The district covers Lower Alsace and Muhlenberg townships, Laureldale, Mount Penn and St. Lawrence, and parts of Exeter Township and Reading.