Rep.-elect Ojeda says Democratic House majority is an 'opportunity' for Trump

Rep.-elect Richard Ojeda, a North Carolina Democrat, said Sunday that his party's coming majority gives President Trump a chance to work with Democrats on improving Americans' lives ¹. He spoke on NewsNation's "The Hill Sunday" with host Chris Stirewalt ¹.

Ojeda also gave his own party a warning. If Democrats get to Washington and don't push legislation that "elevates people's lives," he said, "we're going to lose that in two years" ¹.

On tapeABC11 · Nov 4

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A veto warning, and Ojeda's answer

Stirewalt pressed him on the obvious problem. Democrats "can't do too many things," he said, because Trump is going to veto them ¹. A veto is a president's power to reject a bill. Congress can override one only with a two-thirds vote in both chambers.

Ojeda's answer was to put the pressure on Trump. He said that if he were talking to the president, he would urge him not to go out "as a lame duck and doing nothing" and to support legislation that helps people instead ¹. A lame duck is an official finishing a term with limited influence.

From Channel GOPRichard Ojeda wins North Carolina's District 9 seatRichard Ojeda · 186 plays · captioned, with the source named

This is an opportunity. This is an opportunity for Donald Trump.

Who Ojeda beat

Ojeda defeated Rep. Richard Hudson, a Republican who chairs the National Republican Congressional Committee, in North Carolina's 9th District ¹. That committee is the House GOP's campaign arm. In that job Hudson had to help protect at-risk House Republicans nationwide, and he also had to set aside some resources for his own race, according to the Cook Political Report ¹.

The Hill reports it was the first win for a Democrat in the district since 1963 ¹. WUNC, a North Carolina public radio outlet, reported Ojeda led 138,707 to 132,692 with all 169 precincts counted ². Those results are unofficial until the statewide canvass, or official count, on Friday, Nov. 13 ².

Hudson had been seeking an eighth consecutive term ². Ojeda is a retired Army major who served in the West Virginia State Senate, and he sought the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in 2020 without success ².

Trump's own words

The Hill noted that Trump congratulated Democrats on Tuesday. In a call with CBS News, the president said his message was "congratulations to the Democrats, and I look forward to working with you for the good of our country" ¹.

That matters because Trump has invited cooperation in words. Ojeda is now asking for it in votes. Whether the president signs bills Democrats send him, or vetoes them, will decide if divided government produces anything on costs.

The Hill reported that Democrats locked down both the House and the Senate in this year's midterms ¹. Ojeda's message shows how incoming Democrats are framing the next two years. They say they will offer Trump a chance to cooperate, and they will tell voters who blocked relief if he doesn't.

The Record

1. Nov 3, 2026Election Day: Democrats won control of the House and Senate, and Ojeda led Rep. Richard Hudson in North Carolina's 9th District ¹².
2. Nov 3, 2026Trump told CBS News he looks forward to working with Democrats 'for the good of our country' ¹.
3. Nov 8, 2026Ojeda told NewsNation the new majority is an 'opportunity' for Trump to work with Democrats ¹.
4. Nov 13, 2026North Carolina's statewide canvass is scheduled to make the results official ².

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<h2>Rep.-elect Ojeda says Democratic House majority is an &#39;opportunity&#39; for Trump</h2> <p><em>By The GOP Files Capitol Desk. This article first appeared on <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/story/rep-elect-ojeda-says-democratic-house-majority-is-an-opportunity-for-trump">The GOP Files</a> on Sunday, November 8, 2026.</em></p> <p>Rep.-elect Richard Ojeda, a North Carolina Democrat, said Sunday that his party&#39;s coming majority gives President Trump a chance to work with Democrats on improving Americans&#39; lives . He spoke on NewsNation&#39;s &quot;The Hill Sunday&quot; with host Chris Stirewalt .</p> <p>Ojeda also gave his own party a warning. If Democrats get to Washington and don&#39;t push legislation that &quot;elevates people&#39;s lives,&quot; he said, &quot;we&#39;re going to lose that in two years&quot; .</p> <h2>A veto warning, and Ojeda&#39;s answer</h2> <p>Stirewalt pressed him on the obvious problem. Democrats &quot;can&#39;t do too many things,&quot; he said, because Trump is going to veto them . A veto is a president&#39;s power to reject a bill. Congress can override one only with a two-thirds vote in both chambers.</p> <p>Ojeda&#39;s answer was to put the pressure on Trump. He said that if he were talking to the president, he would urge him not to go out &quot;as a lame duck and doing nothing&quot; and to support legislation that helps people instead . A lame duck is an official finishing a term with limited influence.</p> <blockquote><p>This is an opportunity. This is an opportunity for Donald Trump.</p><p>&mdash; Richard Ojeda, Representative-elect, D-N.C.</p></blockquote> <h2>Who Ojeda beat</h2> <p>Ojeda defeated Rep. Richard Hudson, a Republican who chairs the National Republican Congressional Committee, in North Carolina&#39;s 9th District . That committee is the House GOP&#39;s campaign arm. In that job Hudson had to help protect at-risk House Republicans nationwide, and he also had to set aside some resources for his own race, according to the Cook Political Report .</p> <p>The Hill reports it was the first win for a Democrat in the district since 1963 . WUNC, a North Carolina public radio outlet, reported Ojeda led 138,707 to 132,692 with all 169 precincts counted . Those results are unofficial until the statewide canvass, or official count, on Friday, Nov. 13 .</p> <p>Hudson had been seeking an eighth consecutive term . Ojeda is a retired Army major who served in the West Virginia State Senate, and he sought the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in 2020 without success .</p> <h2>Trump&#39;s own words</h2> <p>The Hill noted that Trump congratulated Democrats on Tuesday. In a call with CBS News, the president said his message was &quot;congratulations to the Democrats, and I look forward to working with you for the good of our country&quot; .</p> <p>That matters because Trump has invited cooperation in words. Ojeda is now asking for it in votes. Whether the president signs bills Democrats send him, or vetoes them, will decide if divided government produces anything on costs.</p> <p>The Hill reported that Democrats locked down both the House and the Senate in this year&#39;s midterms . Ojeda&#39;s message shows how incoming Democrats are framing the next two years. They say they will offer Trump a chance to cooperate, and they will tell voters who blocked relief if he doesn&#39;t.</p> <p><em>Read the original, with every source linked, at <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/story/rep-elect-ojeda-says-democratic-house-majority-is-an-opportunity-for-trump">thegopfiles.com</a>. Republished under The GOP Files' <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/republish">free republishing terms</a>.</em></p> <img src="https://thegopfiles.com/api/rp/rep-elect-ojeda-says-democratic-house-majority-is-an-opportunity-for-trump.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border:0;width:1px;height:1px">

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Sources

1. The Hill, “Rep.-elect says Democratic majority is an 'opportunity' for Trump” (2026-11-09). thehill.com/homenews/house/6207130-ojeda-urges-trump-coopera
2. WUNC, “Richard Ojeda defeats Republican Hudson in 9th District” (2026-11-04). wunc.org/politics/2026-11-04/richard-ojeda-defeats-republica

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