Rick McIntyre

In 1984, he ran for the U.S. House of Representatives against freshman Democrat Frank McCloskey. Initial returns put McCloskey in the lead by 72 votes,[5] but after a tabulation error was found a month later McIntyre took the lead by 34 votes and was certified a winner even though a recount was still underway.[6] The recount was still underway when the new House was sworn in, and so the Democratically-controlled House voted, along party lines, to seat neither contestant, but to pay them both as though they were congressmen. Normally the House seats a certified winner on a provisional basis, but not if a recount is underway.

The recount was completed by the end of January 1985; the final result had McIntyre ahead by 418 votes. He was again certified the winner and, after Republicans forced a vote on the matter, again denied a seat, though the House Administration Committee promised to resolve the matter in 45 days.[7] A federal recount, led by the Government Accounting Office under rules that were mostly agreed upon on bipartisan basis, found that McCloskey won by four votes, though the task force made several controversial decisions which led the task force's lone Republican to compare it to being raped.[8] Republicans then sought to seat neither candidate and have a new election, but the House, on a party-line vote, chose to seat McCloskey causing House Republicans to stage a symbolic walkout, protest with procedural delays and declare the race stolen.[9]

McIntyre with President Reagan and Senator Dan Quayle in 1986

McIntyre was interested in running for Lieutenant Governor in 1986, but was persuaded to seek a rematch with McCloskey. By this time, President Ronald Reagan was less popular than in 1984 and McIntyre was outspent. As a result, McCloskey won by a 53% to 47% margin.

McIntyre lost interest in the national arena and was appointed a Lawrence County Circuit Court Judge in 1988. He was reelected without opposition in 1990, 1996, and 2002, and served until his death.