Posted on 01/06/2005 7:17:00 AM PST by TaxRelief
...McHenry, a 29-year-old politician from North Carolina who had made conservative politics his passion since high school... is [now] the youngest member of the incoming 109th Congress.
(snip)As the youngest freshman and a hard-core conservative, McHenry has made a bigger splash in his opening days on the Hill than most new House members.
He was featured in an article on the front page of USA Today, and C-SPAN brought a camera into his office to record how he was putting it together.
On Monday night, he made a short speech to about 60 members of the American Conservative Union who gathered at the Library of Congress, and last night he was introduced at his own reception by Kayne Robinson, the president of the National Rifle Association.
Grover Norquist, the president of Americans for Tax Reform and a person well known as a coordinator of conservative forces in Washington, said he ranks McHenry among the top members of the incoming class. "I'm a big fan of his," Norquist said. "I met him, read his stuff, and I think he's going to be great."
(Excerpt) Read more at journalnow.com ...
McHenry said he wants to define how a conservative should vote in Washington. [TR: Young and ambitious... :-) ] He wants to establish a voting record and a leadership style so that people can look at him and say that is how a conservative should act.
On his office wall are pictures of himself with such stalwart Southern conservatives as former Sen. Strom Thurmond, former Sen. Lauch Faircloth, Karl Rove and Sen. Elizabeth Dole. [TR: Interesting hero mix, eh?]
But he said that Jesse Helms, who retired as North Carolina's senator in 2003, is his role model.
"Jesse Helms was an outspoken conservative," McHenry said. "You could always depend on him to cast the right vote. At the same time, he had equal vigor for constituent service and doing what was right for the people of North Carolina. And that's what I want to do."
While he recognized that jobs are a key issue for his largely blue-collar constituency in the 10th District, he said he would be looking for moral values' issues to champion.
"It's important that we stand up for traditional values and traditional marriage and for pro-life," he said. "A constitutional amendment defining marriage between one man and one woman is important, plus ensuring our second amendment rights to keep and bear arms." [TR: He's got all the talking points down pat: not bad for 29 years old. Time will tell....]
The 10th District is a very rural District in northwest North Carolina. Rep. McHenry (R) replaces Cass Ballenger (R) who recently retired. The district lies between Charlotte and Asheville sort of veers up into the northwest part of the state.
coming on like gangbusters as a newbee PO's Republicans and Dems alike......I was hoping obama would overplay his hand
Another pantywaste cradle politician who's never had a real job hitting talking points. Spare me.
Home Schooled?
Too bad Foxx replaced Burr.
I just want to know how a 29 year old can convince enough people he is qualified. Oh, and how did he finance his campaign? How has he lived long enough to have made enough wealthy contacts to support him? Does he have personal wealth?
Oh well, at least he's conservative.
Bye bye mister Obama!!! (in the future)
"I dont understand why everyone is downing this guy."
I think having to put up with democrat BS has made many of us far to cynical. I'm always glad to see someone young making his mark as a strong and uncompromising conservative. These people are our hope for the future. We shouldn't be so reluctant to hand them the reins.
Of course he sounds good, you've read one complimentary article about him. Essentially McHenry is in politics because he's a career politician; he's never been anything else or shown any signs of wanting to be anything else. He's there to play the game in whatever way will further his career. Oh and he carpetbagged into the district and started a "business" (real estate) days before filing for Congress so he could talk about his experience in job creation (no evidence he has ever hired anyone or sold a single property).
If you want a great example of a new rep, look at Geoff Lucas of Kentucky-4. USMA grad, Army Ranger (ret.) and current manufacturing consultant/business owner. Married with six children. Now he's a guy who will actually SERVE in Congress, rather than legislate and potificate FROM Congress. http://www.geoffdavis2004.com/Bio.aspx
Dang it all, Geoff DAVIS. He ran against Rep. Ken Lucas (D) in 2002 and I always conflate the names.
His youth will fuel his conservative idealism. I hope I didn't sound like a downer. Kudos to him. I just hope he is teachable and stays humble.
IMHO, McHenry won the GOP primary because he "wined and dined" the conservative base outside of the district.
Many of us tried our best to prevent that from happening...alas...can't win 'em all.
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