Parker Poling

Parker Poling is fearless about speaking her mind, a characteristic in short supply in Washington, D.C. I’ve experienced and witnessed it in meetings in the office of the Speaker of the House with the entirety of congressional leadership.

Parker—who worked as my chief of staff for over a decade before serving as the executive director of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) for two years, starting in 2019—always displays a clarity of mission, something that has suited her well throughout her career. Whether crafting a path to victory on a challenging vote in the House or strategizing how to elect more female GOP candidates while running the NRCC, she always sets goals and clear plans to achieve them. Most important in this line of work, Parker is the definition of a confident leader. She empowers those around her to succeed and is not afraid if they outshine her. For proof, look no further than how House Republicans performed in the 2020 election: 14 seats flipped, 18 new female Representatives elected and—most notably considering her perfectionist tendencies—zero incumbents lost.

McHenry is a Republican Congressman from North Carolina