Kenyatta has gained local attention for his fiery speeches and his time advocating for workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

‘You might not care, but I care about the people I serve’ — PA State @RepKenyatta was booed by his colleague for wanting to protect service workers who are at risk if the state reopens pic.twitter.com/XOX6v5cWmh

— NowThis (@nowthisnews) May 20, 2020

According to local NPR member WHYY, Kenyatta was a community organizer and activist before running for state representative in 2018.

He noted many of the issues he’s an advocate for are personal to him because of his upbringing. He was involved in political work from a very young age.

“My first gig was at the age of 12, washing dishes to help my mom pay the bills. All the issues we’re talking about … these issues are not hypothetical for me. They’re real,” he told WHYY, adding that he was advocating for the minimum wage to be raised and for the government to do something to address the student loan crisis.

Others are looking into running in the primary and there are already concerns that the race will become one of the most expensive ever run in the state. Reps. Conor Lamb and Chrissy Houlahan, and Montgomery County Commissioner Val Arkoosh have all mulled runs for the same seat, according to The New York Times.

Pat-Toomey

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