Active in politics for many years, Hudson served as district director for 8th District Congressman Robin Hayes from 1999 to 2005. At various times, he served on the staffs of Republicans Virginia Foxx, John Carter and Mike Conaway. He also served as communications director for the North Carolina Republican Party in the mid-1990s. In 1996 he worked for Richard Vinroot's campaign for governor, and as campaign manager for Pat McCrory's run for governor in 2008. 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.
U.S. House of Representatives
2012 election
Hudson ran for Congress in North Carolina's 8th congressional district. He won the Republican primary runoff on July 17, 2012, with 64% of the vote against opponent Scott Keadle 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. Richard Hudson spoke at the 2012 Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida on August 28, 2012. Hudson defeated Kissell with 54 percent of the vote to Kissell's 46 percent and took office in January 2013.
2014 election
Hudson was opposed by Antonio Blue in the general election and won 64.9% to 35.1%
Hudson proposed prohibiting EPA officials from using airplane travel for official travel.
Hudson sponsored a bill to improve airport security in reaction to the 2013 Los Angeles International Airport shooting. The bill was reintroduced by Rep. John Katko and became law in the 114th Congress.
Political 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. He stated that "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." In 2012, Hudson promoted birther conspiracy theories about President Barack Obama, saying "there’s no question President Obama is hiding something on his citizenship." After he received pushback on the issue during his 2012 congressional bid, Hudson said he had made a mistake in pushing birther conspiracy theories. Hudson rejects the scientific consensus on climate change. Asked if he believes that human activity contributes to climate change, Hudson answered, "no". Hudson favors repealing the Affordable Care Act and has voted to repeal it. He opposes abortion.
