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The Guy Who Is Supposed To Get Republicans Elected Can’t Even Elect Himself
Richard Hudson, chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee, lost his North Carolina House seat to Democrat Richard Ojeda, despite the district being rated likely to remain Republican. The upset is notable because Hudson leads the party committee tasked with helping Republicans win House elections, and it came amid wider Republican losses.
With 99% of ballots counted, Ojeda received 51.1% to Hudson’s 48.9% in a district Donald Trump won by 16 points in 2024. Hudson has represented the area since 2013 and chaired the NRCC since January 2023; Ojeda is an Army veteran and former West Virginia state senator. The result coincided with Democrat Roy Cooper’s decisive win in North Carolina’s Senate race, despite Republican lawmakers redrawing the House map to seek another GOP seat.
In short
- NRCC chair Richard Hudson lost his House seat.
- Richard Ojeda won with 51.1% of the vote.
- Democrats also won North Carolina’s Senate race.
Explained simply
The US House of Representatives is one of two chambers of Congress, where members are elected from local districts to serve two-year terms. North Carolina is divided into these districts, and its residents vote for a representative as well as for other offices.
Richard Hudson chaired the National Republican Congressional Committee, the party organisation that works to help Republican candidates win House elections. His opponent, Richard Ojeda, is an Army veteran and former West Virginia state senator. Hudson had represented his North Carolina district since 2013.
The contest drew attention because the district had been considered likely to stay Republican and had backed Donald Trump strongly in 2024. North Carolina Republicans had also redrawn the district map in an effort to gain a House seat, making the result part of a broader picture of competition for control of Congress.