Ojeda wins NC 9th, ending Hudson's congressional tenure

Richard Ojeda defeated incumbent Richard Hudson in North Carolina's 9th Congressional District on Tuesday, ending the Republican's bid for an eighth consecutive term.

Hudson, the chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, previously held the seat by nearly 20 percentage points in 2024. He recently began airing television advertisements, a tactic often used by incumbents facing strong opposition in competitive races.

Ojeda, a retired U.S. Army major and former West Virginia State Senator, secured the victory with 138,707 votes to Hudson's 132,692. The district covers a wide geographic area, stretching from Cumberland County in the south to Guilford County in the north.

In a statement following the results, Ojeda cited his military service and prior political experience in West Virginia. He stated that he lost friends in a war sold on a lie and pledged to fight for lower drug prices, protection of Social Security and the VA, and reduced corporate influence in politics.

Amy Dorra, Ojeda's campaign manager, noted that many observers in Washington had not viewed the seat as competitive. She said her volunteers never believed the district was a safe Republican hold. The results remain unofficial until the statewide canvass is completed on Friday, November 13.

The 9th District election marks a shift in representation for a region that had been firmly in the Republican column for nearly two decades. Hudson had served as the highest-ranking North Carolina Republican in the U.S. Congress.