Tag: Ches McDowell

Hudson staffer moves to Checkmate

Checkmate Government Relations, the Raleigh-based lobbying firm led by Ches McDowell, hired Rep. Richard Hudson’s chief of staff Luke Blanchat to lead its congressional lobbying business Checkmate has drawn lots of attention because of its fast growth and McDowell’s close ties to the Trump administration. The firm opened its Washington D.C. office after Donald Trump’s election in 2024. It […]

Written by on March 18, 2026

Lumbee I-95 land deal spurs questions

In December, the Lumbee Tribe’s for-profit arm paid a combined $6.8 million for two tracts of land alongside Interstate 95, where a Native American-owned casino may someday emerge. That was $3.6 million more than the combined properties’ sale price a few days earlier. Deeds recorded with Robeson County show that Western Agricultural Holdings, a firm […]

Written by on February 16, 2026