Republican U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry is preparing to exit Congress after a two-decade career.
McHenry announced last year he wouldn’t seek re-election.
The announcement came after a busy last term that may end up being his most impactful.
In late 2023, McHenry became the center of attention as he presided over a Republican fight that led to his friend, Kevin McCarthy, being ousted as Speaker of the House.
With no permanent speaker McHenry was bumped up to the acting position for 23 days.
In an interview with Spectrum News McHenry said he was presented with the idea of becoming speaker on a permanent basis, but he didn’t want the top job.
“I recognized that I wasn’t fit for the moment and fit for the task required,” McHenry said.
Instead, he served as a stabilizing force before Republicans eventually gave the gavel to Rep. Mike Johnson of Louisiana.
“I now look back at that and think … maybe that’s what I was called to do. Maybe my 20 years boiled down to 23 days,” McHenry said.
The decision not to seek the speakership is one McHenry likely would not have made when the North Carolina Republican entered Congress two decades ago at the age of 29.
“I was a back-bench bomb thrower,” McHenry said.
By his second term McHenry said he realized being an agitator is not how you get things done in Congress.
“In many regards my policy set has not shifted. The way that I’ve engaged, which is instead of holding out to get 90% of what I want or 100% of what I want, understand that getting 50% of what I want may be the greatest success,” McHenry said.
The bow tie-wearing congressman spent much of his time in Congress in the House Financial Services Committee room.
This Congress, McHenry was chair of the influential committee, forming relationships with people like ranking member Democrat Rep. Maxine Waters, and trying to insulate the committee from the drama in other parts of Congress.
“The debates we have outside the four walls of this committee you can have, you should have them, but this is not the venue for those things. You want to go fight out those policies that are the most divisive in our society today and the most divisive in Congress, this is not the committee for it. We’re here to talk about innovation, the way we regulate financial firms, the way we help those get on the right financial track,” McHenry said.
McHenry points to the committee’s work to try and put in place consumer protections and regulations for cryptocurrency as some of his proudest accomplishments. And he cites his work last year to help negotiate a deal to raise the debt limit.
But he doesn’t always support cross-party work. He voted against the bipartisan infrastructure law and legislation to spur domestic production of computer chips.
In 2021, though, he did vote to certify Joe Biden’s election victory, contrary to the majority of House Republicans.
When asked how he fits in today’s Republican Party, McHenry said, “I have long had concerns about the role of China … so in that way the president’s approach I desperately welcome. His leadership on economic and regulatory issues is unrivaled in my lifetime.”
In terms of social issues, McHenry said, “I’m a conservative, I’m certainly a conservative but I understand America, and I understand that we’re a nation divided on the hottest of hot-button social issues. I’d rather spend my time on fruitful policies where we can get things done.”
At just 49 years old, McHenry isn’t counting out political office in the future, but said he doesn’t know what’s next.
He does know it’s time to step aside.
“I leave here, 20 years later, looking at that capitol dome the same I looked when I got here, just amazed that I get to work in that building,” McHenry said. “So I leave with a grateful heart I do. There will be a lot I do miss, a lot I do miss. But I leave it to the next generation to keep it going, keep the flame alive.”