Meet Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, the No. 4 in the House Republican leadership and a strong voice for women in her party. In college, she couldn't hold hands.
Image by J. Scott Applewhite / AP
WASHINGTON, DC — Last week, Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers was elected to be the next House Republican conference chair — making her the most powerful Republican woman in the House.
In a competitive race for the slot, she received support from Speaker John Boehner, as well as 15 committee chairs and other members of leadership.
As part of her bid for the job, McMorris Rodgers urged her colleagues to vote for her to boost the party's standing among women — an issue that the 43-year-old lawmaker has long been a champion of within her party.
Although staunchly conservative, even by House Republican standards, McMorris Rodgers is a loyal party soldier, and she has moved up quickly through the GOP ranks.
But despite her status as one of the most powerful Republican women in the country, her profile is relatively low within the general public.
Below, a few facts about one of the GOP's rising stars.
1. She Was a Surrogate for Mitt Romney
McMorris Rodgers made regular appearances on cable news shows touting Romney for president, and spoke at the Republican National Convention in Tampa.
Her name was also mentioned as a potential pick to be Romney's running mate, but she was passed over.
2. She's More Conservative than You Think
Although she was attacked by some Republicans during her bid for conference chair as being too moderate, McMorris Rodgers has a 92.14% lifetime rating from the American Conservative Union — putting her above most of her House colleagues.
Via: brightlightsearch.blogspot.com
