Jon McHenry

About Jon McHenry

Jon McHenry is Vice President of North Star Opinion Research, formerly Ayres, McHenry and Associates.  In addition to working with the firm’s political, public affairs, and corporate clients, he oversees the firm’s fielding procedures and methodology.

Jon spends a significant amount of time helping clients looking at multiple races target their time and resources.  His collaborative work with other pollsters established guidelines for the National Republican Congressional Committee to ensure comparable data across polling firms in individual contest and committee roles. In the 2010 election, he worked with the American Action Forum on 31 congressional districts that helped define potential pick-up opportunities for Republicans, and with the NRCC’s independent expenditure committee to help target districts and decide on messages to defeat entrenched incumbents in the South and Midwest.

Jon’s corporate and public affairs work has focused on telecommunications, including AT&T as a client; transportation, working with both government and private firms; and employee satisfaction research, most notably with Georgia-Pacific.

Jon’s comments and analysis have appeared in a variety of media settings, including BBC television and radio, CNN, Fox News, NBC Nightly News, the Boston Globe, The Hill, The New York Times, the Washington Post, and NPR-member radio station shows.

Jon graduated cum laude from the University of New Hampshire with a degree in political science while earning spots on the North Atlantic Conference All-Conference Soccer Academic Team in 1990 and 1991.  He held his first job in polling at UNH as well, working in the Survey Center as an interviewer during the 1992 primary season.

Jon received his M.A. in political science from the University of Georgia, with an emphasis on American politics and statistics.  He served both as a research assistant and teaching assistant to faculty there.

Jon is a member of the American Association of Public Opinion Research and American Association of Political Consultants.  He is the chair of the men’s ministry at Arcola United Methodist Church and a certified candidate to become a licensed local pastor.