Political Primer

U.S. Representative Patrick McHenry is in his first-term and is the youngest member of the House of Representatives at 30 years old, but found that losing his first state race taught him more than winning races could have.

McHenry told a group of conservative students that won the Republican primary for a North Carolina state house race at 22, but was defeated in the general election which made him learn to appreciate victory and not believe he could accomplish things by himself.

“You get into a race with a plan to win. Don’t tilt at windmills. Get into races you can win with a plan,” McHenry said at the Eagle Forum Collegian Summit, adding that “Victory makes you think you did it all…the best thing that happened to me was losing the first time.” Grassroots conservatism put me in office, I was always outspent, said McHenry.

After losing his first state house bid, McHenry worked on the 2000 Bush campaign, ran a winning campaign for N.C. state house in 2002 and was a U.S. representative by 2004.

“My parents weren’t political,” said McHenry, but “I was drawn to politics to unburden families.”

McHenry’s purpose in talking before the students at the Eagle Forum Summit was to tell them about the exciting nature of politics.

“Yesterday Tom DeLay gave his farewell speech,” McHenry told them and “being there in the front listening to him gave me goosebumps.” DeLay didn’t get much credit, and the liberals hate him because he is a conservative and a Christian, but mostly they hate that he is effective, said McHenry.

Effectiveness means only compromising when principles can be retained, McHenry said, elaborating that there can be no compromise on gay marriage or on life issues.

“We believe in right and wrong—not maybe,” McHenry said.

The congressman urged those interested in running for office someday to intern and volunteer for every race they can get involved with.

“In a state house race with five diehards [volunteers] I had a huge advantage. In a congressional race you need 15 to 20 diehards,” McHenry concluded.

Julia A. Seymour is a staff writer for Accuracy in Academia.