Ojeda Unseats NRCC Chairman Hudson in North Carolina’s 9th District
With all 169 precincts counted early Wednesday morning, Democrat Richard Ojeda led Republican incumbent Richard Hudson 138,707 votes to 132,692 in North Carolina’s 9th Congressional District. The margin ended Hudson’s bid for an eighth consecutive term and handed Democrats a seat that was once considered safe for the GOP.
A 20-point stronghold flips in one cycle
The district stretches from Cumberland County in the south to Guilford County in the north. Hudson had carried it by nearly 20 percentage points in 2024. As chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee—the campaign arm of House Republicans—he began advertising on television in recent days, a move that signaled he was facing a stiff challenge in a district that many election experts had once considered solid or safely Republican.
From West Virginia coal fields to the Army to Congress
Ojeda, a retired U.S. Army major who served in the West Virginia State Senate before unsuccessfully seeking the Democratic nomination in the 2020 U.S. Senate race, framed his win around service and cost-of-living fights.
“I lost a lot of friends in a war sold on a lie, and I’m going to Congress to make sure nobody’s kid gets sent to another one. I’m going to fight to lower drug prices, protect Social Security and the VA, and get corporate money out of our politics. This district gave a kid from the West Virginia coal fields a chance, and I will never forget it,” Ojeda said in a statement.
Volunteers outlasted Washington’s doubts
Amy Dorra, Ojeda’s campaign manager, described the victory as a longshot that volunteers refused to dismiss. “Nobody in Washington thought this seat was in play. Our volunteers never bought that for a second,” Dorra said.
The result is unofficial until the statewide canvass on Friday, Nov. 13.
More on Richard Hudson
Checking back in on the NRCC chair's reelection fight. Hudson down 51.4% to 48.6% to Richard Ojeda. 91% of vote in. Hudson came under some GOP criticism for running coordinated mailers with the NRCC in the home stretch. Looks like that wasn't a bad idea… pic.twitter.com/Hqnrma5THg
NRCC Chair Rich Hudson may be in trouble in #NC09 Richard Ojeda (D) – 51.4% Hudson – 48.6% 89% of the vote in… Ojeda ran for Senate and Congress in WV.
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