Richard Ojeda, 55, is a retired U.S. Army major who previously served in the West Virginia Senate. He moved back to North Carolina, where he lived for 15 years while stationed at Fort Bragg, in 2020. Ojeda holds a bachelor’s degree in General Education from West Virginia State College and a master’s in Business and Organizational Security from Webster University. He is married and has three children.
Candidate Q&A
A representative for Ojeda’s campaign said the candidate was unable to answer our questions before the deadline. To provide information to readers, we have included examples from his campaign website.
What do you see as the biggest financial and administrative challenge to implementing the work requirements for Medicaid that were included in the One Big Beautiful Bill?
Ojeda’s campaign website says he would fight to expand Medicaid in North Carolina and oppose federal cuts to the program. He has pledged to “stop federal sabotage” of Medicaid and protect essential services for families. His website does not address the specific financial or administrative challenges of implementing the new work requirements.
What would be your plan for ensuring the future security and strength of Social Security and Medicare?
Ojeda’s campaign website says he would “raise the income cap and stop retirement age hikes” to protect Social Security. He also pledges to strengthen Medicare and Medicaid and invest in health care for working families.
What would you support in Congress as a plan to help control health care and pharmaceutical costs?
Ojeda’s campaign website says he would cap prescription drug prices and hold pharmaceutical companies accountable for high costs.
He specifically identifies insulin and other life-saving medications as priorities, saying families should not have to choose between buying food and paying for treatment. He also pledges to expand Medicaid and invest in hospitals and other health care services.
What steps would you take to improve access to health care in rural areas? How do we make the Rural Health Transformation Program successful in North Carolina?
Ojeda’s campaign website says he would fight to keep rural hospitals open, fully fund rural hospitals and clinics, and ensure patients can receive care close to home. He also pledges to protect health care access and push for local investment in North Carolina communities.
His campaign materials do not specifically address how he would implement or evaluate the Rural Health Transformation Program.
The rollout of AI is moving fast, including in health care, and leaders in that space are calling for things to slow down. What federal moves should be taken to regulate it, if at all?
No response available. NC Health News could not find anything in the public record on this topic.
Where do you stand on federal vaccine policy? What should be done to prevent future disease outbreaks?
Ojeda’s campaign website says he supports protecting patients’ ability to make personal health care decisions. However, NC Health News could not find a public statement from Ojeda specifically addressing federal vaccine policy or measures to prevent future disease outbreaks.
We’ve had some high-profile food contamination outbreaks, yet the federal government is pulling back on regulation of food, air and water. What level of federal regulation do you support and why?
No response available. NC Health News could not find anything in the public record on this topic.
PFAS contamination is a nationwide issue; how do you address it while balancing public safety and business interests?
No response available. NC Health News could not find anything in the public record on this topic.
The building and placement of data centers have become a big issue, particularly in many rural communities. What should be the federal government’s role, if any, in how these are developed?
In campaign materials, Ojeda has criticized his opponent, Republican U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson, for supporting tax breaks for data center developers while, according to Ojeda’s campaign, residents face higher electricity costs.
His campaign has argued that data centers are driving up electricity rates. The materials reviewed do not establish what specific federal policies Ojeda would support to regulate data center development.
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