Congressman Pat Harrigan Receives Defender of Limited Government Award from the Institute for Legislative Analysis

April 23, 2026 Press Release Contact: Lexi Kranich (814) 380-4408 WASHINGTON, D.C.— Today, the Institute for Legislative Analysis (ILA) named Congressman Pat Harrigan (NC-10) a recipient of the Defender of Limited Government Award, recognizing his voting record as one of the most aligned with the limited government principles of the U.S. Constitution. The honor is part of ILA's annual Limited Government Index, the most expansive study of the U.S. Congress ever conducted, based on an analysis of nearly 90,000 congressional votes. "I took an oath to uphold the Constitution, and every vote I cast is guided by that commitment," said Congressman Pat Harrigan. "The federal government works best when it stays within its constitutional limits, protecting individual liberty, defending private property, and getting out of the way of the American people. This recognition is a reflection of the voters of NC-10 who sent me here to fight for exactly those principles, and I will keep fighting for them every day." “We are excited to release this latest edition of our Limited Government Index,” said Ryan McGowan, Chief Executive Officer of the Institute for Legislative Analysis. “While scorecards based on a handful of votes can be useful for showing differences among lawmakers, our annual index covers every substantive vote and is designed to show how political philosophies and party dynamics change over time. Coupled with our latest tools and new policy centers, we hope to make the limited government position better known and lawmakers more accountable.” Congressman Harrigan earned a 2025 alignment score of 89.45%, performing seven points above the estimated baseline for his district. The Index evaluates members across a wide range of policy categories including energy, fiscal policy, government spending, and individual liberty. Harrigan received perfect or near-perfect scores across the majority of those categories, reflecting a consistent record of opposing federal overreach and supporting constitutionally limited government. The award will be formally presented at a ceremony at the Conservative Partnership Center on May 19th.