He has had enough.
U.S. Representative Patrick McHenry has declared his decision not to pursue re-election, opting to retire from Congress at the culmination of his current term. In his announcement, McHenry conveyed the gravity of his choice, stating, “This is not a decision I take lightly, but I believe there is a time for everything, and for me, this season has drawn to a close.” Earlier in the year, McHenry temporarily assumed the role of acting speaker of the House of Representatives amid a turbulent leadership struggle within the Republican Party. This interim leadership position followed the removal of Kevin McCarthy by a faction of staunch party members and lasted until the appointment of Mike Johnson as the new leader.
As a Republican representative from North Carolina, McHenry currently chairs the House Financial Services Committee and has held his congressional seat since 2005. His district has consistently been classified as firmly Republican by nonpartisan U.S. election forecasters. McHenry embarked on his political journey during the tenure of Republican President George W. Bush, engaging in confrontations with Democrats as he acclimated himself to the dynamics of the institution.
Throughout his tenure in Congress, McHenry climbed the ranks, serving as chief deputy whip under Steve Scalise in 2014. He temporarily oversaw the whip operation during Scalise’s recovery from a near-fatal shooting in 2017. Despite expectations placing him in line for a potential whip position when Republicans secured the House majority in 2022, McHenry opted for a different path. Instead, he pursued and secured the chairmanship of the Financial Services Committee, marking a significant redirection of his focus within Congress.
