NC road may be named after ex-lawmaker who made history in Congress for 22 days

Drivers could soon travel along Congressman Patrick McHenry Highway.

In the state budget on its way to N.C. Gov. Josh Stein, lawmakers proposed renaming a stretch of N.C. 16 after former U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry, who served in Congress for 20 years.

McHenry, 50, a Republican from Lincoln County, earned national headlines after serving as the first interim House speaker in U.S. history after Republican insurgents ousted Speaker Kevin McCarthy, McHenry’s close friend and ally. But he made the surprise announcement Dec. 5, 2023, not to seek reelection for another term.

He’s a Gastonia native and lived in Denver while representing North Carolina through 2025.

The portion of N.C. 16 named in McHenry’s honor stretches through Gastonia from the Mecklenburg County Line at Mountain Island Lake to the Lincoln County Line.

How McHenry became interim speaker

A post-9/11 rule required House speakers to keep a secret list of successors who could step up and run the chamber in the event something happened to him or her. The rule was created assuming that could mean harm or illness, and not in-party fighting.

But former Rep. Matt Gaetz, a Republican, proved that wrong when he led a coup against McCarthy that led to him being voted out of his leadership position.

McCarthy’s deputy chief of staff, John Leganski, wrote in a book released last week that McHenry only learned his name was at the top of McCarthy’s list the night prior.

“I wanted somebody who had been a committee chair,” McCarthy told McClatchy at the time. “I wanted somebody who wasn’t seeking the job ... I wanted somebody who could work with all sides, and McHenry is ideal for all of that.”

For 22 days, McHenry led the chamber as Republicans fought over who would succeed McCarthy. At times, it looked like McHenry was the clear and only choice for that job, but McHenry did not entertain the idea. Instead, the role went to House Speaker Mike Johnson.

McHenry has a viral moment

McHenry was already a notable character on Capitol Hill because of his short stature and his penchant for bow ties. He once described himself as “just a little guy with a bow tie walking around doing my thing.”

But McHenry became an internet and talk show sensation for his reaction to the ousting of McCarthy.

Immediately after being announced as the interim speaker, McHenry took his spot at the dais and decided to recess the House until he could figure out what he was allowed to constitutionally do next. But in anger, he banged his gavel harder than expected making for a more memorable moment than the coup that just transpired.

And while those 22 days may be what McHenry became most known for, his political career started long before that moment. He served in Congress for 20 years representing ever-changing portions of the foothills of Western North Carolina, due to redistricting. He also served a term in the state House.

McHenry long sought and won the position of House Financial Services Committee chairman. He served as chief deputy whip under Majority Whip Steve Scalise and filled in for Scalise after he was shot at a Congressional baseball practice.

McHenry now serves various roles across Washington, where he lives with his wife and three kids, including as a senior advisor at Lazard, an independent investment bank and financial advisory firm.

McHenry did not respond to a request for comment about the renaming.

Lawmakers sent the budget to the governor Thursday afternoon for his signature.

Danielle Battaglia

McClatchy DC

Danielle Battaglia is the congressional impact reporter for The News & Observer and The Charlotte Observer, leading coverage of the impact of North Carolina’s congressional delegation and the White House. Her career has spanned three North Carolina newsrooms where she has covered crime, courts and local, state and national politics. She has won two McClatchy President’s awards and numerous national and state awards for her work.