Mary Bono Mack juggles new roles, on and off the Hill

by Ben Pershing
WashingtonPost.com

Rep. Mary Bono Mack is all over the map.

In Washington, the longtime Republican lawmaker from California is an increasingly prominent player on the powerful Energy and Commerce Committee, while also trying to be a voice for two constituencies — moderates and women — that she believes don’t always receive the requisite attention within the House Republican Conference.

In Palm Springs, she is facing a spirited reelection challenge. In Florida, she’s the wife of a Senate candidate. And on the national stage, she’s a high-profile surrogate for former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney’s presidential bid. Oh, and in Northern Virginia, she’s a first-time grandmother.

So how can she possibly divide her time so many ways?

“For every working mom, there’s a working balance, a very delicate balance to strike,” Bono Mack said in an interview last week. That can mean not seeing her husband for long stretches. Or it can mean turning down a “Meet the Press” appearance so she can spend time with her family, as was the case recently.

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