Who is Patrick McHenry, acting US House Speaker to replace Kevin McCarthy

Born in Gastonia, North Carolina, McHenry grew up in suburban Gastonia as the youngest among five children. He attended Ashbrook High School and later pursued higher education at North Carolina State University before transferring to Belmont Abbey College. At Belmont, he played a key role in founding the school’s College Republican chapter and eventually became the chair of the North Carolina Federation of College Republicans and treasurer of the College Republican National Committee.

In 1998, while still a junior in college, McHenry made his foray into politics by running for the North Carolina House of Representatives. Although he won the Republican primary, he narrowly lost in the general election. McHenry completed his graduation in 1999. Then, he ventured into the political consulting field, working for the media consultancy firm DCI/New Media in Washington DC. During this time, he played a significant role in Rick Lazio’s campaign in the 2000 United States Senate election in New York, managing a website called NotHillary.com.

In the early 2000s, McHenry's political expertise led him to national campaigns. He was hired to serve as the national coalition director for George W. Bush’s 2000 presidential campaign. Additionally, he contributed as a volunteer coordinator for Bush's inaugural committee. Following these experiences, McHenry briefly served as a special assistant to Elaine Chao, the United States Secretary of Labor.

Returning to North Carolina, McHenry ran for the North Carolina General Assembly in 2002 and emerged victorious. During the 2003–04 session, he represented the state's 109th House district, which included constituents in Gaston County. Notably, he served on the House Appropriations Committee during this period.