U.S. House, North Carolina 9th Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in North Carolina's 9th Congressional District?
Richard Hudson has the strongest record in North Carolina's 9th Congressional District. Richard Hudson scores 59 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Richard Ojeda at 53, as of October 9, 2026. Richard Hudson's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Richard Ojeda's highest marks are relevant experience. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Republican · incumbent
Strongest record
Richard Hudson
59 / 100
Public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 45
- Qualifications
- 75
- Performance
- 56
Democratic
Richard Ojeda
On the ballot as Richard N. Ojeda II
53 / 100
Public evidence on 10 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 55
- Performance
- 50
The good, the bad and the unresolved
The record
The notable facts of each candidate's public life, each tied to a source and confirmed to be this person. Unresolved matters are labeled with where they stand and do not move a score.
Richard Hudson
- On the record2025-03
As chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, told House Republicans in March 2025 to stop holding in-person town halls, according to NC Newsline.
Source: NC Newsline, Oct. 20, 2025 (reprinted on ross.house.gov)
- On the record2021-01-07
Voted Yea on the objections to Arizona's and Pennsylvania's certified electoral votes on Jan. 6 and 7, 2021.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 10, 2021, House Clerk Roll Call 11, 2021
- On the record2020-12-10
Was one of 126 House members who signed the amicus brief supporting Texas v. Pennsylvania, the suit to block four states' certified 2020 results.
Source: Texas v. Pennsylvania, amicus brief of 126 House members
- On the record2019 to 2025
PolitiFact has rated five of his statements: one False, a November 2025 newsletter claim on turkey prices, two Mostly False and two Half True.
Sources: PolitiFact, Richard Hudson scorecard, PolitiFact, Nov. 26, 2025
- Credit2025-12-26
Sponsored H.R. 860 to reauthorize the Congressional Award program; it was enacted as S. 284, signed Dec. 26, 2025.
- Credit2025
Chairs the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology in the 119th Congress.
Source: GovTrack, committee membership
- Credit2025-04-22
Held a telephone town hall on April 22, 2025 and answered 11 constituent questions, including on federal job cuts and Medicaid, per CityView and NOTUS.
Richard Ojeda
- On the record2019-01-10
Left the West Virginia Senate in January 2019, before the end of his term.
Source: Ballotpedia, Richard Ojeda
- On the record2018 to 2021
PolitiFact has rated six of his statements: two True, one Mostly True, two Half True and one Mostly False, a 2019 tweet on gun deaths and injuries.
Sources: PolitiFact, Richard Ojeda scorecard, PolitiFact, Oct. 17, 2019
- Credit2018-11-15
Army records released to Military.com list a Bronze Star Medal (2nd award), a Combat Action Badge and deployments to Iraq in 2004 to 2005 and 2007 to 2008 and Afghanistan in 2010 to 2011.
Source: Military.com, Nov. 15, 2018
- Credit2017-04-19
Was lead sponsor of the West Virginia Medical Cannabis Act (SB 386), which passed the state Senate 28 to 6 and was signed by the governor April 19, 2017.
Sources: West Virginia Legislature, SB 386 (2017) bill history, West Virginia Senate Roll Call 302, March 29, 2017
- Credit2013
Retired from the Army as a major in 2013 after 24 years of service.
Source: Ballotpedia, Richard Ojeda
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Richard Hudson. Annual financial disclosure for 2025 filed June 29, 2026, after an extension; the Clerk lists no periodic transaction reports for him. No House Ethics matter or FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: House Clerk financial disclosure, Filing ID 10081164, House Committee on Ethics site search for Hudson, FEC administrative fines search
Richard Ojeda. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found for his current or past committees.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Richard Hudson. Voted against the Majority Leader and Whip on 14 floor amendments in 2025 and 2026, including Aye on a July 2025 Greene amendment and No on an April 2026 Self amendment.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 204, 2025, House Clerk Roll Call 151, 2026
Richard Ojeda. No public record found.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Richard Hudson. Held a telephone town hall on April 22, 2025 that took constituent questions, per CityView and NOTUS. No 2026 debate or forum record found.
Richard Ojeda. No public record found.
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Richard Hudson. In the U.S. House since 2013 after years as a congressional district director, with no censure, reprimand or House Ethics conduct finding found.
Sources: GovTrack, Richard Hudson, House Committee on Ethics site search for Hudson
Richard Ojeda. Served 24 years in the Army, retiring as a major in 2013, and in the West Virginia Senate from 2016 to 2019, with no censure, reprimand or conduct finding found.
Source: Ballotpedia, Richard Ojeda
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Richard Hudson. Voted Yea on the objections to Arizona's and Pennsylvania's certified electoral votes on Jan. 6 and 7, 2021, and signed the December 2020 House amicus brief in Texas v. Pennsylvania.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 10, 2021, House Clerk Roll Call 11, 2021, Texas v. Pennsylvania, amicus brief of 126 House members
Richard Ojeda. Took and kept the oaths of Army service for 24 years and of the West Virginia Senate from 2016 to 2019, with no official finding of misuse of office found.
Source: Ballotpedia, Richard Ojeda
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Richard Hudson. In the U.S. House since January 2013, now in his seventh term.
Source: GovTrack, Richard Hudson
Richard Ojeda. A West Virginia state senator from 2016 to 2019 and a retired Army major with 24 years of service, including company command.
Source: Ballotpedia, Richard Ojeda
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Richard Hudson. Chairs the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology; 13 bills he sponsored have been enacted.
Sources: GovTrack, committee membership, Hudson office site, About
Richard Ojeda. Answered Ballotpedia's 2026 survey with priorities on veterans, education, health care, working families and Social Security, in general terms.
Source: Ballotpedia, Richard Ojeda
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Richard Hudson. Offers an e-newsletter and text updates, publishes issue pages and held a telephone town hall in April 2025. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey or its 2020 to 2024 surveys.
Sources: Hudson office site, home page, Ballotpedia, Richard Hudson, CityView, April 23, 2025
Richard Ojeda. Completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2026 and publishes issue headings on his campaign site.
Source: Ballotpedia, Richard Ojeda
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Richard Hudson. Lives in Southern Pines, which is in the district; grew up in Charlotte. FEC by-state totals show about 55 percent of itemized individual contributions from North Carolina.
Sources: Hudson office site, About, U.S. Census Bureau, 119th Congress district relationship file (place), FEC contribution totals by state
Richard Ojeda. Says he and his wife returned to Aberdeen several years ago after 15 years stationed at Fort Bragg; Aberdeen is in the district. FEC by-state totals show about 17 percent of itemized contributions from North Carolina.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Richard Ojeda, U.S. Census Bureau, 119th Congress district relationship file (place), FEC contribution totals by state
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Richard Hudson. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
Richard Ojeda. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Richard Hudson. Legislative Effectiveness Score of 1.366 in the 118th Congress against a benchmark of 1.211, meets expectations. His Congressional Award Program reauthorization was enacted Dec. 26, 2025.
Sources: Center for Effective Lawmaking House dataset, 93rd to 118th Congress, GovTrack, H.R. 860 (119th Congress), GovTrack, Richard Hudson
Richard Ojeda. Lead sponsor of the West Virginia Medical Cannabis Act (SB 386), signed by the governor April 19, 2017.
Source: West Virginia Legislature, SB 386 (2017) bill history
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Richard Hudson. Missed 345 of 7,608 roll call votes, 4.5 percent, from January 2013 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Richard Ojeda. No public record found.
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Richard Hudson. Runs district offices in Southern Pines and Fayetteville and offers help with federal agencies. No published casework totals found.
Sources: Hudson office site, office locations, Hudson office site, home page
Richard Ojeda. No public record found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Richard Hudson. Lugar Center Bipartisan Index score of -0.10488 in the latest posted House scores (118th Congress, 2023), ranked 152 of 436, a negative score above the bottom quarter.
Source: Lugar Center and McCourt School Bipartisan Index, House Scores
Richard Ojeda. His medical cannabis bill passed the West Virginia Senate 28 to 6, with Republican senators including Charles Clements voting yes.
Sources: West Virginia Senate Roll Call 302, March 29, 2017, Ballotpedia, West Virginia State Senate
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Richard Hudson. No public record found.
Richard Ojeda. No public record found.
How to read this
Each criterion is scored 0 to 4 against the written rubric in the Ballot Standard. NR means no record: there is no reliable public evidence either way, so the criterion is left out and never counts against the candidate. A total is published when at least 8 of 15 criteria have evidence.
A sitting officeholder has a longer public record than a first-time candidate, so the two totals rest on different amounts of evidence. Read the count of criteria beside each score. Low marks require an official finding or a primary record. Allegations and opinion are not used.
No policy position is scored. Evidence checked October 9, 2026. Campaigns and readers can send a correction with a public source to tpg@thepoliticalgroup.com.
Questions
Who should I vote for in North Carolina's 9th Congressional District?
Richard Hudson has the strongest record in North Carolina's 9th Congressional District. Richard Hudson scores 59 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Richard Ojeda at 53, as of October 9, 2026. Richard Hudson's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Richard Ojeda's highest marks are relevant experience. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Who is running in North Carolina's 9th Congressional District in 2026?
Richard Hudson (Republican, incumbent), Richard Ojeda (Democratic). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Richard Hudson a good candidate for Congress?
Richard Hudson scores 59 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria: character 45 of 100, qualifications 75 of 100, performance 56 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Richard Ojeda a good candidate for Congress?
Richard Ojeda scores 53 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 10 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 55 of 100, performance 50 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
How is the strongest record decided?
The candidate with the highest Ballot Standard score has the strongest record. Each of 15 criteria on character, qualifications and performance is scored 0 to 4 from public records and established reporting, the same way for every party. No policy position is scored, and unresolved accusations never move a score.
More on this race: every North Carolina race scored, the trailing candidate's path to victory, and the North Carolina 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.