Rich Hudson
Official portrait, 2016
Chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee
Assumed office
January 3, 2023
LeaderKevin McCarthy
Mike Johnson
Preceded byTom Emmer
Secretary of the House Republican Conference
In office
January 3, 2021 – January 3, 2023
LeaderKevin McCarthy
Preceded byJason Smith
Succeeded byLisa McClain
Member of the
U.S. House of Representatives
from North Carolina
Assumed office
January 3, 2013
Preceded byLarry Kissell
Constituency8th district (2013–2023)
9th district (2023–present)
Personal details
Born
Richard Lane Hudson Jr.

(1971-11-04) November 4, 1971
Franklin, Virginia, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse
Renee Howell
​
(m. 2010)​
Children1
EducationUniversity of North Carolina, Charlotte (BA)
WebsiteHouse website

Richard Lane Hudson Jr. (born November 4, 1971) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for North Carolina's 9th congressional district since 2013 (previously numbered the 8th district). A member of the Republican Party, his district covers a large part of the southern Piedmont area from Concord to Spring Lake.

Early life and education

Hudson was born in Franklin, Virginia,[1] but has lived in the Charlotte area since childhood. He graduated from Myers Park High School in 1990. He attended the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and graduated Omicron Delta Kappa in 1996 with a bachelor's degree in political science and history.[1] He also served as student body president and president of the College Republicans[2] and was a member of the Kappa Alpha Order social fraternity.[3]

Early career

Active in politics for many years, Hudson served as district director for 8th District Congressman Robin Hayes[4] from 1999 to 2005.[5] At various times, he served on the staffs of Republicans Virginia Foxx, John Carter and Mike Conaway.[5] He also served as communications director for the North Carolina Republican Party in the mid-1990s.[1] In 1996 he worked on Richard Vinroot's campaign for governor, and in 2008 as campaign manager for Pat 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]

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

2012

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 incumbent Larry Kissell in November. The district had been made significantly more Republican in redistricting, losing most of its share of Charlotte 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 the 2012 Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida, on August 28, 2012.[10] He was elected with 54% of the vote to Kissell's 46% and took office in January 2013.

North Carolina's 8th congressional district, 2012[11]
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
Republican gain from Democratic
2014

Hudson was opposed by Antonio Blue in the general election and won 64.9% to 35.1%.[12]

2016

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%.

2018
North Carolina's 8th congressional district, 2018[13]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Richard Hudson (incumbent) 141,402 55.3
Democratic Frank McNeill 114,119 44.7
Total votes 255,521 100.0
Republican hold
2020

Hudson defeated Democrat Patricia Timmons-Goodson in the November 3 general election.[14]

Committee assignments

At the beginning of the 116th Congress, Hudson was assigned to the Committee on Energy and Commerce,[15] Subcommittee on Energy,[16] Subcommittee on Health[17] and Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Commerce.[18]

Caucus membership

Tenure

According to The Sandhills Sentinel, Hudson holds a conservative position on gun control, opposes abortion, and has been "a leading advocate of opioid reform."[20]

In 2014, Hudson proposed prohibiting EPA officials from using airplane travel for official travel.[21]

In 2015, Hudson cosponsored a resolution to amend the Constitution to ban same-sex marriage.[22]

Hudson sponsored a bill to improve airport security in reaction to the 2013 Los Angeles International Airport shooting.[23] Representative John Katko reintroduced the bill, which became law in the 114th Congress.

In December 2020, Hudson was one of 126 Republican members of the House of Representatives to sign an amicus brief in support of Texas v. Pennsylvania, a lawsuit filed at the United States Supreme Court contesting the results of the 2020 presidential election, in which Joe Biden defeated Trump.[24] The Supreme Court declined to hear the case on the basis that Texas lacked standing under Article III of the Constitution to challenge the results of an election held by another state.[25][26][27]

On January 6, 2021, Hudson was one of 147 Republican lawmakers who objected to the certification of electoral votes from the 2020 presidential election after a mob of Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol and forced an emergency recess of Congress.[28] 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.[29] Thirty-five Republican House members and all 217 Democrats present voted to establish such a commission.[30]

Policy positions

Hudson supported President Donald Trump's 2017 executive order to impose a temporary ban on entry to the U.S. to citizens of seven Muslim-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."[31]

Hudson favors repealing the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) and has voted to repeal it.[32][20]

Hudson supports Israel'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" in Gaza started by Hamas and other terrorists following the 2023 Hamas terrorist attack on Israel on October 7.[33][34]

Personal life

Hudson's wife, Renee, was chief of staff for Kellyanne Conway.[20] Hudson attends Crossroads Church (Concord, North Carolina),[35] which is a Global Methodist Church congregation.[36]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Richard Hudson - Candidate for U.S. President, Republican Nomination - Election 2012". WSJ.com. Retrieved 2017-12-07.
  2. ↑ "HUDSON, Richard - Biographical Information". bioguide.congress.gov. Retrieved 2017-12-07.
  3. ↑ "Congressman Richard Hudson". Kappa Alpha Order. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  4. ↑ "Congressman Richard Hudson | North Carolina Heroes' Fund". www.ncheroes.org. Retrieved 2017-12-07.
  5. 1 2 Sinclair, David. "Hudson, Mills Vie for Congressional Seat". The Pilot Newspaper. Retrieved 2017-12-07.
  6. ↑ Neilson, Madison Hall, Grace Panetta, Susie. "GOP Rep. Richard Hudson is projected to win North Carolina's 8th Congressional District against Democrat Patricia Timmons-Goodson". Business Insider. Retrieved 2021-07-29.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  7. ↑ Perlmutt, David; Johnson, Lukas (18 July 2012). "Hudson to take on Kissell in U.S. District 8". Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on 19 January 2013. Retrieved 1 September 2012.
  8. ↑ Lavender, Paige (2012-05-05). "More GOP Candidates Make Birther Claims". HuffPost. Retrieved 2020-04-29.
  9. ↑ Ordonez, Franco (2012). "GOP candidates from N.C. back down from questioning Obama's birthplace". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Retrieved 2020-04-29.
  10. ↑ Ordoñez, Franco (28 August 2012). "Concord hopeful Hudson speaks role at Republican National Convention". Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on 19 January 2013. Retrieved 1 September 2012.
  11. ↑ "North Carolina General Elections Results 2012". North Carolina State Board of Elections. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
  12. ↑ "Richard Hudson". Ballotpedia.
  13. ↑ "District 8, North Carolina State Board of Elections & Ethics Enforcement". North Carolina State Board of Elections & Ethics Enforcement. Retrieved November 10, 2018.
  14. ↑ "Article". www.newsobserver.com. July 17, 2020. Retrieved 2020-12-14.(subscription required)
  15. ↑ Energy and Commerce Committee, U.S. House of Representatives. "E&C GOP". E&C GOP. E&C GOP.
  16. ↑ Energy Subcommittee. "E&C GOP". E&C Republicans. E&C GOP.
  17. ↑ E&C GOP. "Energy and Commerce Republicans". E&C GOP. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
  18. ↑ E&C GOP. "ENERGY AND COMMERCE COMMITTEE Consumer Protection and Commerce". republicans-energy commerce. republicans-energy commerce.
  19. ↑ "Membership". Republican Study Committee. 2017-12-06. Retrieved 2021-03-28.
  20. 1 2 3 McFarland, Lori (2018-11-07). "Rep. Richard Hudson wins fourth term". Sandhills Sentinel. Retrieved 2020-04-29.
  21. ↑ Wolff, Eric (8 July 2016). "Let the WOTUS court fights commence!". POLITICO.
  22. ↑ Huelskamp, Tim (2015-02-12). "Cosponsors - H.J.Res.32 - 114th Congress (2015-2016): Marriage Protection Amendment". www.congress.gov. Retrieved 2022-04-10.
  23. ↑ Weikel, Dan (22 July 2014). "House passes bill to improve airport security in wake of LAX shooting". LA Times. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
  24. ↑ Blood, Michael R.; Riccardi, Nicholas (December 5, 2020). "Biden officially secures enough electors to become president". AP News. Archived from the original on December 8, 2020. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
  25. ↑ Liptak, Adam (2020-12-11). "Supreme Court Rejects Texas Suit Seeking to Subvert Election". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on December 11, 2020. Retrieved 2020-12-12.
  26. ↑ "Order in Pending Case" (PDF). Supreme Court of the United States. 2020-12-11. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 11, 2020. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  27. ↑ Diaz, Daniella. "Brief from 126 Republicans supporting Texas lawsuit in Supreme Court". CNN. Archived from the original on December 12, 2020. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  28. ↑ Yourish, Karen; Buchanan, Larry; Lu, Denise (January 7, 2021). "The 147 Republicans Who Voted to Overturn Election Results". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-01-10.
  29. ↑ How Republicans voted on a commission to investigate the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, Washington Post, May 19, 2021. Retrieved May 20, 2021.
  30. ↑ Roll Call 154 Bill Number: H. R. 3233 117th Congress, 1st Session, United States House of Representatives, May 19, 2021. Retrieved May 20, 2021.
  31. ↑ Blake, Aaron (29 January 2017). "Coffman, Gardner join Republicans against President Trump's travel ban; here's where the rest stand". Denver Post. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
  32. ↑ "NC House Republicans split on GOP Obamacare repeal bill".
  33. ↑ Demirjian, Karoun (2023-10-25). "House Declares Solidarity With Israel in First Legislation Under New Speaker". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
  34. ↑ Washington, U. S. Capitol Room H154; p:225-7000, DC 20515-6601 (2023-10-25). "Roll Call 528 Roll Call 528, Bill Number: H. Res. 771, 118th Congress, 1st Session". Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives. Retrieved 2023-10-30.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  35. ↑ "Meet Richard Hudson". Richard Hudson for Congress. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
  36. ↑ "Crossroads Concord — Who We Are". mycrossroads.co. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
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