Capitol Faces: Richard Hudson

Name: Richard Hudson

Position: Chief of staff, Rep. Mike

Conaway (R-Texas)

Age: 37

Hometown: Charlotte, N.C.

Marital status/children: Single/none

Last job: Campaign manager, Pat McCrory for governor of North Carolina

First job: “Working construction for my dad during the summer.”

Most unusual job: “One summer I had to tar a roof on a business, and that was the most miserable job I’ve ever had. You get tar all over your skin and everything you wear and everything you use, because it’s hot and sticky. My dad built houses, so … summer jobs almost always involved something he was doing.”

Most embarrassing moment: “Hanging up on President [George W.] Bush.”

Number of cups of coffee you drink per day: “I get my caffeine from mainlining Diet Dr. Pepper.”

Religion: Episcopalian

Favorite political TV show or movie: “The Distinguished Gentleman”

Most inspirational figure: “My grandfather.”

Dream job (not including present one): Chief of staff to the governor of North Carolina (“Guess I blew that one.”)

College: University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Passion outside work: Hunting

Claim to fame: Champion of the Congressional Oyster Eating Contest and/or Reigning Skeet Champion, Congressional Sportsman Foundation Staff Shoot

Richard Hudson once hung up on former President George W. Bush when Bush called to congratulate Hudson’s then-boss, former Rep. Robin Hayes (R-N.C.), after Hayes’s 2002 victory.

“As I was handing my BlackBerry to Robin, somehow I hung up the phone,” he said. “He called back, [and] Robin answered. I was mortified.”

Hudson stepped away from his career on Capitol Hill last May to work on the Republican gubernatorial campaign in his home state of North Carolina.

The campaign of his candidate, Pat McCrory, was overwhelmed by then-presidential candidate Barack Obama’s presence in the state, Hudson said.

“I knew we were in trouble when, the night before the election, Obama was in Charlotte,” he said.
McCrory lost, dashing Hudson’s hope of becoming the governor’s chief of staff.

Hudson is now back in the congressional scene as Rep. Mike Conaway’s (R-Texas) chief of staff after having worked for Hayes and Reps. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) and John Carter (R-Texas).

Hudson intends to help his boss establish himself as the new ranking member for the Agriculture Committee’s subcommittee on specialty crops, rural development and foreign agriculture. He and his boss will also be working under Minority Whip Eric Cantor’s (R-Va.) organization, as Conaway is one of Cantor’s deputy whips.

“Initially, I was disappointed I wasn’t going to [North Carolina state capital] Raleigh, but I’m very excited about coming back to the Hill, and I feel very fortunate to have landed a job with someone as good as Mike Conaway,” he said.