Timeline: Cathy McMorris Rodgers through the years
Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers is leaving Congress at the end of 2024 after 20 years representing Eastern Washington in the U.S. House of Representatives and a political career that has spanned three decades. After working as an aide to state Rep. Bob Morton, she took over his seat at age 24 and rose to become House Republican leader in Olympia before winning a seat in Congress in 2004.
At the U.S. Capitol, she became one of the most influential GOP lawmakers in the House, first as a member of Republican leadership and then as chair of the Energy and Commerce Committee. Here are some highlights from her career.
1991: Soon after graduating from Pensacola Christian College, Cathy McMorris is hired to run the campaign of Bob Morton, a family friend in Kettle Falls. After he is elected to the state House, McMorris becomes his legislative aide.
- 1994: When Morton is appointed to fill a vacant state Senate seat, McMorris is appointed to his House seat, then wins a special election to stay in the state Legislature at age 25.
- 2002: McMorris is elected by her fellow Republicans as House minority leader in Olympia, replacing a lawmaker nearly twice her age.
- 2003: When Rep. George Nethercutt of Spokane decides to leave the House and challenge Sen. Patty Murray, McMorris jumps into the race to succeed Nethercutt.
- 2004: McMorris wins the race to represent Washington’s 5th Congressional District, becoming just the 200th woman elected to the House of Representatives out of some 11,000 members in its history.
- 2006: McMorris marries Brian Rodgers, a retired Navy commander and son of former Spokane Mayor David Rodgers, and changes her name to Cathy McMorris Rodgers.
- 2007: McMorris Rodgers gives birth to her son Cole, who is born with Down syndrome and inspires her to advocate for people with disabilities.
- 2008: Elected vice chair of the House Republican Conference, becoming the highest-ranking woman in House GOP leadership and started a contest to encourage more Republicans to use social media to reach their constituents.
- 2010: Gives birth to her daughter Grace, becoming the first member of Congress to give birth to two children while in office.
- 2012: Elected by her fellow Republicans as chair of the House GOP Conference, the No. 4 position in party leadership.
- 2013: Gives birth to her daughter Brynn.
- 2014: Delivers the traditional Republican response to President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address, raising her national profile. At the end of the year, Congress passes the ABLE Act, one of her signature legislative achievements.
- 2015: After being officially nominated by McMorris Rodgers, Paul Ryan of Wisconsin is elected as speaker of the House, replacing fellow Republican John Boehner of Ohio.
- 2016: McMorris Rodgers endorses Donald Trump for president in May, then criticizes him after a recording comes to light in which he bragged about groping women, but later says she still plans to vote for him. After Trump is elected president, he considers nominating her to head the Interior Department, but tells her he opted against appointing her during a meeting at Trump Tower in New York City.
- 2018: Facing a challenge from freshman Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, McMorris Rodgers opts not to run for re-election as conference chair and to focus on the Energy and Commerce Committee.
- 2019: After a six-year investigation, the House Ethics Committee concludes that McMorris Rodgers’ office violated House rules by mixing campaign funds and taxpayer dollars, ordering her to pay back about $7,500 in misspent money. She takes responsibility for the mismanagement, although the report noted that she wasn’t directly involved in it.
- 2021: Following a riot at the Capitol by Trump supporters, McMorris Rodgers reverses her earlier decision and votes to certify the results of an election Trump lost, one of just two House Republicans to make that change.
- 2023: Becomes the first woman to chair the House Energy and Commerce Committee, whose vast jurisdiction makes it one of the most sought-after panels on Congress.
- 2024: Announces that she will retire from Congress at the end of the year, despite being eligible to serve another two-year term as Energy and Commerce Committee chair.