Congressional Candidate Richard Ojeda-Meeting the People

“Boots On the Ground”-Being physically present and active in a specific location to carry out a mission. Drawing on his U.S. Army background, it’s a frequent refrain spoken by North Carolina 9th Congressional Candidate Richard Ojeda. And he means it. He lives it.

On June 12, 2026, the Mayco Bigelow Center Gymnasium in Burlington was the site of a candidate town hall that brought together Ojeda, NC Democratic Party Chair Anderson Clayton, and NC legislative candidates, Southey Blanton, LeVon Barnes, and Ian Baltusis, plus local officials and candidates.

NC 09 is a gerrymandered congressional district that includes the entire counties of Alamance, Hoke, Moore, and Randolph as well as portions of Chatham, Cumberland, and Guilford.

In the 2026 primary election, voters chose retired U.S. Army Major Richard Ojeda as the Democratic candidate for NC 09. Richard served in the Army for 24 years with tours in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Haiti. He was stationed at Ft. Bragg for 15 years and his family made their home in North Carolina.

After retiring from military service, Richard moved to West Virginia to be near his aging parents. While there, he taught JROTC in the local high school and ran for and won a seat in the West Virginia State Senate. Following his service in the Senate, Richard and his family came home to North Carolina.

Richard Ojeda must defeat his incumbent opponent. Not just for the citizens of NC 09, but for everyone in North Carolina and the entire country. Here’s why. His opponent is Republican Richard Hudson who became most famous in his role as chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee. In this capacity he urged House Republicans to stop holding in-person town halls where they would hear the loud complaints of their constituents who were angry with the Trump agenda, federal budget cuts, and the destruction of government institutions.

We need a representative in Washington who will not hide from us when we need their assistance or need to voice an opinion. Richard Ojeda will be that congressional representative.

This event was part of the North Carolina Democrats' District Run that is holding events in all of North Carolina's congressional districts.