Patrick T. McHenry (R-N.C.)

Consumer Protection

Since the beginning of the subprime mortgage lending crisis, McHenry has worked on legislation to combat predatory practices by lenders. His bill forcing mortgage lenders to simplify the forms required of homebuyers was passed by the House in 2007.

Energy

Although McHenry strongly supports drilling for oil off-shore and in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, he admits that reliance on fossil fuels is unsustainable and authored a bill awarding up to $1 billion for any American who can develop an adequate replacement. Meanwhile, he is a proponent of nuclear energy and has advocated developing "clean coal" technology. On the demand side of the issue, however, McHenry has been pessimistic of efforts to change energy consumption; in 2007, he snidely mocked Democrats for a plan providing tax rebates to those who commute to work via bicycle.

Foreign Relations

McHenry has disapproved of much American aid to foreign nations, and crafted legislation to limit aid to nations that do not extradite suspects accused of killing U.S. law-enforcement officers. Given the manufacturing and blue-collar base of his district, McHenry is predictably more protectionist on trade matters, having voted against the Central American Free Trade Agreement.

Abortion

McHenry is vigorously anti-abortion rights and has made the issue a prominent one in each of his reelection campaigns.

Gun Control

McHenry has strongly opposed any efforts to restrict gun ownership of private citizens.

Campaign Finance and Election Reform

McHenry blasted President Clinton for his aggressive pursuit of campaign cash. In college, he once drew attention to himself by dressing as Abraham Lincoln at a Clinton appearance and waving a sign reading, "Who's been sleeping in my bed?" to mock Clinton's overnight guests who contributed money to the Democratic National Committee and stayed in the White House's Lincoln bedroom.

However, in McHenry's own career as a politician, he's been slammed for taking contributions from a company he was investigating for alleged CEO payout fraud. In matters of the polls themselves, McHenry voted against the Voting Rights Act - which outlawed discriminatory voting practices - before his aide was hit with voter-fraud charges relating to his 2004 campaign for the House.

McHenry used funds from his political action committee to pay for the aide's defense (resulting in a dismissal of the charges for an agreement to perform community service and pay a fine), even though McHenry was not yet a member of the House at the time of the alleged crimes.The subsequent investigation led to MSNBC's Keith Olbermann naming him the "Worst Person in the World" on the show Countdown.

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