[2][3] He represented District 7, which covers Baltimore and Harford Counties, along with fellow Republicans J.B. Jennings and Richard K Impallaria.

He is also active with the Hawthorn Civic Association, the Joppa Residents Council, and the Harford County Pro Life group.

In July 2007, McDonough called for the impeachment of Montgomery County Circuit Court Judge Katherine Savage who released a non-English-speaking rape suspect when he demanded a court-appointed interpreter and none were available.

Delegate McDonough maintained that the defendant did not need an interpreter, as he had attended both high school and college in the U.S., and had been successfully interviewed (in English) four times during the course of the investigation.

McDonough's circulated widely in early 2012 as he mounted a legislative challenge to the neighboring District of Columbia's Wildlife Protection Act of 2010.

[6] During the campaign, he pledged "dramatic and powerful change" if elected, calling for more police and greater efforts to combat gangs and drugs.