Ojeda Overtakes Hudson in NC 9th, Ending Decades of GOP Control

Richard Ojeda, a retired Army major, is projected to win North Carolina's 9th Congressional District on Tuesday, defeating incumbent Republican Richard Hudson. Early numbers from ABC News show Ojeda leading 51% to 48%.

Hudson serves as chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee. The district, which includes Fort Bragg, has long been considered a safe seat for the GOP. This result marks the first Democratic victory in the area in several decades.

Voters in the region cited economic pressures and the war in Iran as primary factors in their decision. Air Force veteran Jim Morris, a lifelong Republican, said he voted for all Democratic candidates because he believed the nation was moving in the wrong direction.

"It was extremely difficult," Morris said. "But, I felt was important. Our nation is not going in the right direction. So, I voted straight Democrat." He described the outcome as a necessary correction to how the current administration conducts business.

Retired Army Special Forces veteran Ron Keller expressed surprise at the result. He noted that Hudson appeared to campaign less frequently than usual, possibly focusing on helping other Republican candidates. Keller acknowledged Hudson’s support for veteran programs but said the shift in voting patterns caught him off guard.

Dr. Robert Taber, a historian at Fayetteville State University, described the narrow margin as a warning sign for the state’s political structure. He pointed to high gas and diesel prices as a key concern for military families and local farmers. Taber argued that gerrymandering often allows politicians to select voters rather than allowing voters to choose their representatives.

Statewide polling indicates Democrats currently lead in ten of North Carolina’s fourteen congressional districts. Hudson acknowledged the result in a written statement, saying the voters made their choice and that he respects their decision.