U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson (R-NC), the chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), which is dedicated to electing Republicans to the U.S. House of Representatives, said he wants the midterm elections to be “a choice between Trump’s policies and Mamdani’s policies.”
Interviewed by Manu Raju for CNN, Hudson characterized Trump’s policies as “common sense” while criticizing the new New York City Mayor’s policies are “craziness.” (Notably, Trump and Mamdani have met twice this year in the Oval Office at Trump’s invitation, and the President has said he “speaks often” with the Mamdani, calling the Mayor “a nice guy” and saying the two “agree on a lot.”)
Richard Hudson, the NRCC chairman, says he “absolutely” wants Trump stumping with candidates in swing districts, including in NY and California. “I mean, he’s a net positive for us everywhere.” pic.twitter.com/96D1cIsaHn
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) March 16, 2026
Hudson told CNN that he “absolutely” wants the President to campaign with GOP candidates including in swing districts in blue states including New York. Hudson mentioned former New York State Assembly member Michael LiPetri who — with Trump’s endorsement — hopes to take incumbent Democrat Rep. Tom Suozzi‘s seat in November. Hudson asserts that Trump is “a net positive for us everywhere.”
(NOTE: In the 2024 general election, LiPetri was defeated by Suozzi by a margin of 51.7% to 48.1%. The 2026 Republican primary for New York’s 3rd Congressional District — primarily the north shore of Long Island — is June 23.)
MAJOR ENDORSEMENT: President Donald J. Trump just endorsed our campaign for Congress because we’re committed to delivering on his America First agenda that lowers costs for American families, 100% Backs The Blue, and puts Common Sense over Chaos!
Donate @ https://t.co/BMwJ1M1XRV pic.twitter.com/DGfg9GFEgQ— Mike LiPetri (@TheMikeLiPetri) February 5, 2026
When asked if he is concerned about breaking through to voters during the war in the Middle East which the president launched two weeks ago, Hudson said, “Not really.” Hudson reasoned that “we’re not going to be in Iran in November” because Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have “made it very clear that this is short-term.”
Note: Last year, in March 2025, Hudson told fellow Republican members of Congress to stop holding town halls amid public backlash to the Trump administration’s sweeping spending cuts. Republicans contended that the negative feedback they were receiving at town halls was a result of Democrats attending creating false feedback.