Retired Major Richard Ojeda joins At the Water’s Edge to discuss his campaign for North Carolina’s 9th Congressional District, why he believes veterans should play a larger role in American politics, and what he sees as the biggest failures of Washington today.
Ojeda spent 24 years in the U.S. Army, much of that time at Fort Bragg, before returning to his hometown in southern West Virginia, where he served as a state senator and became known for his outspoken populist style of politics. In this conversation, we explore how military service shapes his political worldview, the challenges veterans face when transitioning to civilian life, and the role Congress should play in overseeing the executive branch during times of geopolitical tension.
The discussion covers everything from VA bureaucracy and rural economic decline to war powers, foreign policy, and populism in both political parties.
While the conversation touches on highly political issues, the goal of this episode is not endorsement but understanding—examining how a combat veteran running for Congress views the current strategic and political moment in the United States.
Transitioning from military service to civilian life
The VA disability system and challenges veterans face navigating it
Why Ojeda believes veterans should run for public office
Campaigning as a populist Democrat in a Republican-leaning district
The role of grassroots campaigning vs. corporate PAC funding
Congressional oversight of the executive branch
War powers and constitutional limits on presidential authority
How foreign policy decisions affect military communities
Trade policy, manufacturing, and the economic challenges facing rural America
Working across the aisle in Congress
Richard Neece Ojeda II is a retired U.S. Army major and former West Virginia state senator. During his military career he served in multiple deployments during the Global War on Terror. After leaving the Army, he entered politics and became known for his outspoken advocacy on behalf of working-class communities and veterans.
He is currently running for Congress in North Carolina’s 9th District.
Scott Kelly is a former U.S. Army Special Forces officer and the host of At the Water’s Edge, a podcast examining national security, geopolitics, and the strategic challenges shaping the world today from a practitioner’s perspective.
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The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or the podcast
