Richard Hudson Bio
Richard Lane Hudson Jr. (born November 4, 1971) is an American politician and Republican member of the United States House of Representatives. He has represented North Carolina’s 9th congressional district since 2013, after initially winning the seat when it was numbered as the 8th district. His district covers a large portion of the southern Piedmont region, stretching from Concord to Spring Lake.
Before entering Congress, Hudson built a career in political staff work and small business. He served on the staffs of several Republican members of Congress, worked on statewide campaigns in North Carolina, and founded a marketing consulting firm. He now serves on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and has been an active voice on issues including gun rights, healthcare, foreign policy, and election integrity.
Early Life and Background
Richard Lane Hudson Jr. was born on November 4, 1971, in Franklin, Virginia. He moved to the Charlotte, North Carolina, area during childhood and has lived there since. He graduated from Myers Park High School in 1990, where he was active in student life and developed an early interest in politics.
Hudson went on to attend the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, earning a Bachelor of Arts in political science and history in 1996. He graduated Omicron Delta Kappa, a national leadership honor society, and was deeply involved in campus organizations. He served as student body president and as president of the College Republicans, and he was a member of the Kappa Alpha Order social fraternity.
Path to US Politics
Even before finishing college, Hudson was engaged in political work. In the mid-1990s, he served as communications director for the North Carolina Republican Party, and in 1996 he worked on Richard Vinroot’s campaign for governor. These early experiences gave him a strong understanding of campaign operations, messaging, and party organization at the state level.
From 1999 to 2005, Hudson served as district director for 8th District Congressman Robin Hayes, managing constituent services and local outreach. Over the following years, he also worked on the congressional staffs of Republicans Virginia Foxx, John Carter, and Mike Conaway. In 2008, he returned to statewide politics as campaign manager for Pat McCrory’s run for governor. In 2011, he founded Cabarrus Marketing Group, a small business consulting and marketing company, which he dissolved upon his election to Congress.
Richard Hudson Career
Early Career (1990s–2011)
Hudson spent more than a decade working behind the scenes in Republican politics before running for office himself. His roles on congressional staffs and on statewide campaigns allowed him to build relationships across the party and develop a reputation as a dependable political operative in North Carolina.
His early career also included founding Cabarrus Marketing Group in 2011, a consulting firm that reflected his interest in small business and economic development. The firm was dissolved when he won his first congressional race, signaling his full transition from political staff work and business to elected office.
Congressional Breakthrough (2012)
Hudson ran for Congress in North Carolina’s 8th congressional district in 2012. He won the July 17 Republican primary runoff with 64 percent of the vote against Scott Keadle and went on to face Democratic incumbent Larry Kissell in the general election. The district had been redrawn to become significantly more Republican, picking up several heavily GOP areas northeast of Charlotte.
During the campaign, Hudson spoke at the 2012 Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida, on August 28, 2012. In November, he defeated Kissell with 54 percent of the vote to 46 percent and took office in January 2013, beginning his career in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Current Tenure (2013–Present)
Since taking office, Hudson has won re-election multiple times, including a 2014 victory over Antonio Blue with 64.9 percent of the vote, a 2016 primary win over Tim D’Annunzio followed by a general election win over Democrat Thomas Mills, and a later win over Democrat Patricia Timmons-Goodson. Following redistricting, he has represented the 9th congressional district.
At the start of the 116th Congress, Hudson was assigned to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, where he has served on subcommittees covering Energy, Health, and Consumer Protection and Commerce. On policy, he has opposed red flag gun laws, voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act, cosponsored a 2015 constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage, supported President Donald Trump’s 2017 travel restrictions, and supported Israel following the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack. In December 2020, he signed an amicus brief supporting Texas v. Pennsylvania contesting the 2020 presidential election results, and on January 6, 2021, he objected to the certification of electoral votes. In March 2025, amid public opposition to the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency’s spending cuts, Hudson instructed fellow Republican members of Congress to stop holding town halls.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Hudson’s most notable moments in Congress was his sponsorship of a bill to improve airport security in response to the 2013 Los Angeles International Airport shooting. The bill was reintroduced by Representative John Katko and became law in the 114th Congress. In 2014, he also proposed a measure to prohibit Environmental Protection Agency officials from using airplane travel for official travel, reflecting his focus on government accountability.
Richard Hudson Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Hudson was born in Franklin, Virginia, and raised in the Charlotte area. He has kept much of his family life out of the public eye, and details about his parents and children are not publicly available.
Spouse and Faith
Hudson married Renee Howell in 2010. Renee Hudson has worked in political circles, having served as chief of staff for Kellyanne Conway. The family attends Crossroads Church in Concord, North Carolina, a Global Methodist Church congregation.