Candidate Biography (submitted by candidate):

Patrick McHenry is serving his third term in the United States Congress where he represents the citizens of North Carolina's 10th District. 

In Congress, McHenry serves as a Deputy Republican Whip, helping to manage the legislative priorities of Congressional Republicans on the House floor.  Congressman McHenry is a member of the House Financial Services Committee, which deals with federal legislation related to banking, insurance and real estate.  He is also a member of the House Budget Committee and the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

As the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Information Policy, Census, and National Archives, Congressman McHenry is responsible for oversight of the 2010 Decennial Census.  The Congressman is working to protect the integrity of the census -- the basis for our entire statistical system -- through a full and accurate count that is free of partisan politics and data manipulation.

Throughout his career, Congressman McHenry has been a vocal and effective advocate for the men and women who wear the uniform of our country.  He received awards from the North Carolina Chapters of the American Legion and Marine Corps League for his extensive work in bringing a veterans' health care clinic to his district after nearly two decades of delay.  The National Guard presented Patrick McHenry with the Charles Dick Medal of Merit for his exceptional service to the North Carolina National Guard.

Recognized as a leader of the conservative movement in America, Patrick McHenry is the Chairman of the House Conservatives Fund.  He shares the most conservative voting record in Congress on family values issues, according to National Journal.  Having never voted for a tax increase in his career, Congressman McHenry is continually recognized as a "Hero of the Taxpayer" by Americans for Tax Reform.

The main issue I am focused on is jobs.  Last year, I stood in opposition to a stimulus bill that the Obama Administration promised us would solve all of our problems.  All they needed from the American people was a little bit of money, "only" $9,500 from each man, woman and child in the country.

I voted against this bill because I saw it for what it was:  a bill that spent too much money on government, too much on special interests projects, and was loaded with more pork than a Sunday pig pickin'.  I voted against it because I knew it wouldn't work.

Here we are a year later and unfortunately I was right.  I wish I had been wrong.  I wish it HAD worked and that it had helped folks in Western North Carolina find jobs.  It hasn't.  So far just 33.7% of the funds from the stimulus bill have been spent and that money has been ineffective in creating jobs.

My plan is simple:

• Stop making the problem worse by issuing an immediate cease-and-desist order on new taxes and regulation.
• Restore investor confidence in our economic future by confronting our deficit.
• Reduce the price of doing business in America by increasing our energy supply and lowering business taxes.
• Evaluate our foreign trade agreements to make sure that they are fair.
• And strengthen the retraining programs across North Carolina's community college system so that those who want to work our prepared to.

Our communities are full of good, reliable men and women who know how to work hard and creating jobs for them is my number one priority.  I know that government can't create real, long lasting jobs, that the private sector and small business leaders are the engine of our economy.