McHenry Will Not Run for GOP Leadership Post

Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC), seen as the top candidate for House Republican whip if the GOP takes the majority, will forgo a leadership race and instead plans to run for chair of the House Financial Services Committee, Punchbowl News reports.

“Truth be told, the whip job will be quite difficult in a GOP majority. There are two must-pass bills that the GOP cannot afford to mess up – government funding and lifting the debt limit. The rest of the House Republican agenda will probably run into resistance with President Joe Biden – if it doesn’t get blocked in the Senate first. Furthermore, there will be intense pressure on McCarthy to take drastic action, including wide-ranging investigations and possibly impeaching Biden. That’s not terribly appealing to some in the conference and could result in a backlash in 2024.”