(The Center Square) – Voters in North Carolina’s 9th Congressional District on Aug. 6 learned national Democrats were putting Major (Ret.) Richard Ojeda’s bid to unseat Republican Rep. Richard Hudson as one of the “districts in play targets.”

In the nearly two weeks since, the West Virginia native now calling the Sandhills home has continued to be a vocal opponent of the 28-mile, 12-inch diameter natural gas pipeline proposed by Enbridge Gas North Carolina to run from Siler City to Moncure; advocated for military families ensnared with immigration trouble; and on Monday picked up endorsements from American People’s Compact and the National Education Association.

Still, Cook Political Report says Hudson “doesn’t have to fret” and hasn’t budged from “solid R” since February 2025 or R+8 on its partisan index since November. Bettors aren’t sold either – in the land of prediction, at Polymarket it’s 80%-13% Hudson, and at Kalshi it’s 75%-25% Hudson.

At 270towin, however, the light shade of blue indicates a lean to Democrat and Ojeda. It’s a district Hudson won by 18.5% two years ago when Donald Trump was only winning it by 15.8%.

On the campaign website, Ojeda’s team says, “The Republican stronghold is slipping – and they know it. Republicans are being told to 'sell Trump' to voters because they know his record isn’t selling itself. Working families are feeling the pain at the gas pump, in the grocery store, and in their wallets.

“Richard Hudson has chosen to be Trump’s loyal foot soldier instead of fighting for the people of NC-09. Richard Ojeda won’t play that game. He’ll stand up, speak out, and fight for working people – not Donald Trump.”

Hudson, following a campaign stump with House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., this month, says he’s fighting “to protect our House majority and keep America moving in the right direction. House Republicans are united and ready to win.”

In his seventh term, Hudson has risen to chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee – No. 5 in rank of leadership, and with great responsibility for the electing and reelecting of Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives. He’s a member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and its subcommittee on communications and technology.

His voting record is 12th most conservative in the chamber.

Ojeda’s bid for what would be one of the nation’s biggest upsets includes an endorsement from the Progressive Caucus of the North Carolina Democratic Party, a wing of Democrats aligning with the left on Medicare for All, the Green New Deal, and reform liberalism on a platform mirroring Franklin D. Roosevelt. The consistency is in aggressive economic and social reforms.

Republicans' 220-215 edge won in November 2024 is today 218-212 with one independent formerly Republican caucusing with his former party, and four vacancies. A victory by Hudson is predicted; a win by Ojeda would be pivotal to the possibility of Democrats regaining majority.

The 9th Congressional District includes all or portions of Alamance, Chatham, Guilford, Cumberland, Hoke, Moore, and Randolph counties.