Patrick McHenry

Patrick Timothy McHenry (born October 22, 1975) is an American politician who served as the U.S. representative for North Carolina's 10th congressional district, which includes the communities of Hickory and Mooresville, from 2005 to 2025. He also chaired the House Financial Services Committee from 2023 to 2025. A member of the Republican Party, he served as a member of the North Carolina House of Representatives for one term before being elected to Congress.

McHenry served as a House Republican chief deputy whip from 2014 to 2019 and ranking member of the House Financial Services Committee from 2019 to 2023. McHenry acted as Speaker pro tempore of the House for 22 days following the removal of Kevin McCarthy via a motion to vacate.

McHenry was the dean of the North Carolina's congressional delegation shared with fellow Representative Virginia Foxx.

McHenry was born in Gastonia, North Carolina. He grew up in suburban Gastonia, the son of the owner of the Dixie Lawn Care Company, and attended Ashbrook High School. A Roman Catholic, he was the youngest of five children.

McHenry attended North Carolina State University before transferring to Belmont Abbey College. At Belmont, he founded the school's College Republican chapter, then became chair of the North Carolina Federation of College Republicans and treasurer of the College Republican National Committee.

In 1998, while a junior in college, McHenry ran for the North Carolina House of Representatives. He won the Republican primary but lost the general election.

After earning a B.A. in history in 1999, McHenry worked for the media consulting firm DCI/New Media in Washington, D.C. He was involved in Rick Lazio's campaign in the 2000 United States Senate election in New York; his main project was running a Web site, NotHillary.com. In 2012, he received an honorary M.B.A. in entrepreneurship from the now-closed Yorktown University.

In mid-2000, Karl Rove hired McHenry to be the national coalition director for George W. Bush's 2000 presidential campaign. In late 2000 and early 2001, he was a volunteer coordinator for Bush's inaugural committee. After working for six months in 2001 as a special assistant to Elaine Chao, the United States secretary of labor, McHenry returned to North Carolina and ran again for the North Carolina General Assembly, winning in the 2002 election.