McHose was selected on January 25, 2003 by the Republican county committee members from Sussex, Morris and Hunterdon Counties to fill the remainder of Scott Garrett's term in the General Assembly after he was elected to the United States House of Representatives, and was sworn into office on February 4, 2003. McHose is the first woman to serve the 24th District and is the first sitting legislator to give birth while in office. She is also part of the first father-daughter team to serve simultaneously in the New Jersey Legislature, together with her father who was serving in the Senate from the 24th district at the time. McHose serves in the Assembly on the Assembly Appropriations Committee, the Consumer Affairs Committee, and the Legislative Services Commission. McHose has served as the Deputy Republican Whip from 2012 to 2013, Republican Deputy Conference Leader of the Assembly from 2008 to 2009, Assistant Minority Leader from 2006–2008, and was the Assistant Republican Whip from 2004-2006. After accepting a position in January 2015 as Business Administrator of Franklin Borough, McHose announced that she was planning to resign from her seat in the Assembly, though no date was specified. She chose not to run for re-election in 2015 and ultimately resigned on October 17.
Later career
McHose gained notoriety after office when her harassment of a breastfeeding mother on a public beach resulted in a lawsuit for $1,000,000 in damages against the borough. She is still currently serving as Franklin Borough, New Jersey Administrator. She again started another controversy for Franklin Borough when she posted on her personal Facebook account a picture of the volunteer Franklin Fire Department marching in the 99th Annual Sussex County Fireman's Association Inspection Day and Parade in Franklin with a "Trump 2020 Keep America Great" flag with the caption "Proud of my hometown volunteer fire department for flying a Trump 2020 flag in the 99th Sussex County Firemen's Inspection Parade today!!" This display of political support by the Franklin Fire Department resulted in a complaint to the Internal Revenue Service for a potential violation of the department's status as a tax-exempt, section 501 organization, under which they are not permitted to support or oppose candidates for elective public office.
Personal life
McHose has been married to Morgan Arthur McHose since July 1993. They reside in Franklin Borough with their three children.