Richard Hudson | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Official portrait, 2016 | |
| Chair of theNational Republican Congressional Committee | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2023 | |
| Leader | Kevin McCarthy Mike Johnson |
| Preceded by | Tom Emmer |
| Secretary of the House Republican Conference | |
| In office January 3, 2021 – January 3, 2023 | |
| Leader | Kevin McCarthy |
| Preceded by | Jason Smith |
| Succeeded by | Lisa McClain |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromNorth Carolina | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2013 | |
| Preceded by | Larry Kissell |
| Constituency | 8th district (2013–2023) 9th district (2023–present) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Richard Lane Hudson Jr. (1971-11-04)November 4, 1971 (age 54) |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 1 |
| Education | University of North Carolina, Charlotte (BA) |
| Website | House website Campaign website |
Richard Lane Hudson Jr. (born November 4, 1971) is an American politician serving as theU.S. representative forNorth Carolina's 9th congressional district since 2013 (previously numbered the 8th district). A member of theRepublican Party, his district covers a large part of the southernPiedmont area fromConcord toSpring Lake.
Hudson was born inFranklin, Virginia,[1] but has lived in theCharlotte area since childhood. He graduated fromMyers Park High School in 1990. He attended theUniversity of North Carolina at Charlotte and graduatedOmicron Delta Kappa in 1996 with aBachelor of Arts inpolitical science andhistory.[1] He also served as student body president and president of theCollege Republicans[2] and was a member of theKappa Alpha Order social fraternity.[3]
Active in politics for many years, Hudson served as district director for 8th District CongressmanRobin Hayes[4] from 1999 to 2005.[5] At various times, he served on the staffs of RepublicansVirginia Foxx,John Carter andMike Conaway.[5] He also served as communications director for theNorth Carolina Republican Party in the mid-1990s.[1] In 1996 he worked onRichard Vinroot's campaign for governor, and in 2008 as campaign manager forPat McCrory's run for governor.[1] Hudson was the president of Cabarrus Marketing Group, a small business consulting and marketing company he started in 2011 and dissolved upon his election to Congress.[6]
Hudson ran for Congress in North Carolina's 8th congressional district. He won the July 17 Republican primary runoff with 64% of the vote against Scott Keadle[7] and faced Democratic incumbentLarry Kissell in November. The district had been made significantly more Republican in redistricting, losing most of its share ofCharlotte and picking up several heavily Republican areas northeast of the city.
At a primary campaign event in April 2012, Hudson told a Tea Party group, "there's no question President Obama is hiding something on his citizenship."[8] He later apologized for his comments and said he accepted that Obama was born in the United States.[9]
Hudson spoke at the2012 Republican National Convention inTampa, Florida, on August 28, 2012.[10] He was elected with 54% of the vote to Kissell's 46% and took office in January 2013.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Richard Hudson | 160,695 | 53.2 | |
| Democratic | Larry Kissell (incumbent) | 137,139 | 45.4 | |
| Independent | Antonio Blue (write-in) | 3,990 | 1.3 | |
| n/a | Write-ins | 456 | 0.1 | |
| Total votes | 302,280 | 100.0 | ||
| Republicangain fromDemocratic | ||||
Hudson was opposed by Antonio Blue in the general election and won 64.9% to 35.1%.[12]
In 2016, Hudson was challenged by Tim D'Annunzio in the primary election. He won with 64.6% of the vote to D'Annunzio's 35.4%. In the general election, Hudson defeated Democrat Thomas Mills 58.8%–41.2%.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Richard Hudson (incumbent) | 141,402 | 55.3 | |
| Democratic | Frank McNeill | 114,119 | 44.7 | |
| Total votes | 255,521 | 100.0 | ||
| Republicanhold | ||||
Hudson defeated DemocratPatricia Timmons-Goodson in the November 3 general election.[14]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Richard Hudson (incumbent) | 131,453 | 56.50 | |
| Democratic | Ben Clark | 101,202 | 43.50 | |
| Total votes | 232,655 | 100.0 | ||
| Republicanhold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Richard Hudson (incumbent) | 210,042 | 56.3 | |
| Democratic | Nigel William Bristow | 140,852 | 37.8 | |
| Independent | Shelane Etchison | 22,183 | 5.9 | |
| Total votes | 373,077 | 100.0 | ||
| Republicanhold | ||||
At the beginning of the 116th Congress, Hudson was assigned to the Committee on Energy and Commerce,[17] Subcommittee on Energy,[18] Subcommittee on Health[19] and Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Commerce.[20]
According toThe Sandhills Sentinel, Hudson holds a conservative position on gun control, opposes abortion, and has been "a leading advocate of opioid reform."[24]
Hudson sponsored a bill to improve airport security in reaction to the2013 Los Angeles International Airport shooting.[25] RepresentativeJohn Katko reintroduced the bill, which became law in the 114th Congress.[citation needed]
In 2014, Hudson proposed prohibiting EPA officials from using airplane travel for official travel.[26]
In December 2020, Hudson was one of 126 Republican members of theHouse of Representatives to sign anamicus brief in support ofTexas v. Pennsylvania,[citation needed][27] a lawsuit filed at theUnited States Supreme Court contesting the results of the2020 presidential election, in whichJoe Biden defeated Trump.[28] The Supreme Court declined to hear the case on the basis that Texas lackedstanding underArticle III of the Constitution to challenge the results of an election held by another state.[29][30][31]
On January 6, 2021, Hudson was one of 147 Republican lawmakers who objected to thecertification of electoral votes from the 2020 presidential election after a crowd of Trump supportersstormed the U.S. Capitol and forced an emergency recess of Congress.[32] On May 19, 2021, Hudson and all seven other House Republican leaders voted against establishing a national commission to investigate the January 6, 2021, attack on the United States Capitol Complex.[33] Thirty-five Republican House members and all 217 Democrats present voted to establish such a commission.[34]
In March 2025, amid public opposition to the Elon Musk-ledDepartment of Government Efficiency's sweeping spending cuts and other Trump administration policies, Hudson instructed fellow Republican members of Congress to stop holding town halls.[35]
In 2015, Hudson cosponsored a resolution toamend the Constitution to ban same-sex marriage.[36]
Hudson favors repealing theAffordable Care Act (Obamacare) and has voted to repeal it.[37][24]
Hudson supported PresidentDonald Trump's 2017executive order to impose a temporary ban on entry to the U.S. to citizens of sevenMuslim-majority countries, saying, "At a time of grave security threats, President Trump is right to pause the flow of refugees from countries where terrorism is rampant until we can properly vet them and implement additional screening for individuals traveling to and from these countries."[38]
Hudson supportsIsrael's right to defend itself. In 2023, he voted with an overwhelming bipartisan majority to provide Israel with whatever support is necessary in the "barbaric war" inGaza started by Hamas and other organization following the2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7.[39][40]
Hudson supported President Trump's proposal from 2025 to send U.S. troops to take control ofGaza and remove theGazans from the territory.[41]
Hudson voted in favor of S.5, theLaken Riley Act.[42] The bill would require theSecretary of Homeland Security to detain illegal immigrants who are charged with theft, burglary, or shoplifting.[43]
Hudson opposesred flag laws, which allow courts to removefirearms from individuals deemed a threat to themselves or others.[44]
Hudson's wife, Renee, was chief of staff forKellyanne Conway.[24] Hudson attends Crossroads Church (Concord, North Carolina),[45] which is aGlobal Methodist Church congregation.[46]
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromNorth Carolina's 8th congressional district 2013–2023 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by Dan Bishop | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromNorth Carolina's 9th congressional district 2023–present | Incumbent |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Secretary of the House Republican Conference 2021–2023 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Chair of theNational Republican Congressional Committee 2023–present | Incumbent |
| U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial) | ||
| Preceded by | United States representatives by seniority 105th | Succeeded by |
