Ted Budd

Theodore Paul Budd (born October 21, 1971) is an American businessman and politician serving as a member of the United States House of Representatives for North Carolina's 13th congressional district. On April 28, 2021, Budd announced his candidacy for the 2022 United States Senate election in North Carolina to replace retiring Senator Richard Burr.[1]

Ted Budd
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from North Carolina's 13th district
Assumed office
January 3, 2017
Preceded byGeorge Holding
Personal details
Born
Theodore Paul Budd

(1971-10-21) October 21, 1971
Winston-Salem, North Carolina, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)Amy Kate Budd
Children3
EducationAppalachian State University (BS)
Dallas Theological Seminary (MA)
Wake Forest University (MBA)
WebsiteHouse website

Early life and career

Budd was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, in 1971.[2] When he was young, his family moved[3] to a 300-acre (120 ha) farm on the Yadkin River in Davie County outside Advance, where they raise cattle and chickens.[4][5][6][7] His father owned a facility-services company.[5]

Budd attended Summit School,[8] a private school in Winston-Salem, before attending Davie County High School, graduating in 1990.[9] He then went to Appalachian State University, where he studied business, graduating in 1994.[10][4] Budd earned his master's degree in business administration from the Wake Forest University School of Business.[4][5] He owns a gun store in Rural Hall, North Carolina.[4][5]

The Budd family loaned $10 million to AgriBioTech, which was repaid with over $25,000 in interest. The company later declared bankruptcy.[11]

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

Following court-mandated redistricting, the old 13th district essentially merged with the 2nd district. A new 13th district was created, stretching from the northern suburbs of Charlotte to Greensboro. The old 13th's incumbent, Republican George Holding, opted to run in the 2nd. Budd ran as one of 17 candidates in the ensuing Republican primary for the 13th district in the 2016 elections.[12] His home had previously been in the 5th district but had been drawn into the 13th.

With the help of the Club for Growth, which spent over $285,000 on his campaign,[6] Budd won the primary with 20% of the vote.[13][14] He defeated Bruce Davis, a former Guilford County commissioner, in the general election,[15] with 56% of the vote.[16] He was sworn into office on January 3, 2017.[17] Budd is a member of the Freedom Caucus.[18]

Tenure

In late February 2021, Budd and a dozen other Republican House members skipped votes and enlisted others to vote in their place, citing the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. He and the other members were actually attending the Conservative Political Action Conference, which was held at the same time as their slated absences.[19] In response, the Campaign for Accountability, an ethics watchdog group, filed a complaint with the House Committee on Ethics and requested an investigation into Budd and the other lawmakers.[20]

Affordable Care Act

Budd opposes the Affordable Care Act and voted to repeal it in 2017.[21]

2020 presidential election

In December 2020, Budd was one of 126 Republican members of the House of Representatives to sign an amicus brief in support of Texas v. Pennsylvania, a lawsuit filed by long-indicted Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton at the United States Supreme Court.[22][23] It contested the results of the 2020 presidential election, in four states, Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, where Joe Biden defeated[24] incumbent Donald Trump. The Supreme Court declined to hear the case on the basis that Texas lacked standing under Article III of the Constitution to challenge the results of an election held by other states.[25][26][27]

On January 6, 2021, Budd was one of 147 Republican lawmakers who objected to the certification of electoral votes from the 2020 presidential election after a mob of Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol, forcing an emergency recess of Congress.[28] Budd contended that officials in Pennsylvania had acted "illegally" and "violated" both the Constitution of the United States and that of their own state.[29] He said, "I cannot consent to accepting Pennsylvania's electoral votes."[29]

Voting rights and election integrity

Budd opposes the For the People Act, a bill intended to expand voting rights. Budd asserts that the bill undermines election integrity by expanding "no excuse" absentee voting and weakening voter ID requirements. He falsely stated that the bill would allow minors to vote, when in fact it would only allow those under 18 to register to vote.[30]

Foreign policy

In 2020, Budd voted against the National Defense Authorization Act of 2021, which would prevent the president from withdrawing soldiers from Afghanistan without congressional approval.[31]

In 2021, Budd was one of 14 Republican representatives to vote against a measure condemning the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état.[32]

Committee assignments

Caucus memberships

2022 U.S. Senate campaign
Main article: 2022 United States Senate election in North Carolina

On April 23, 2021, Budd went to Mar-a-Lago to discuss his prospective U.S. Senate candidacy with former U.S. President Donald Trump.[29] On April 28, 2021, Budd announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate seat to be vacated by the retiring Richard Burr.[36] At the Republican state convention in Greenville on June 5, Budd received the endorsements of Donald Trump and Trump's daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, who had declined to run for the seat.[37][11] Former North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory said he would remain in the race despite Trump's endorsement. A third declared candidate, Representative Mark Walker, said he too would stay in the race, maintaining that he had won a straw poll of those attending the convention.[38][39][40][41]

Personal life

Budd met his wife, Amy Kate, on a mission to the Soviet Union in 1991.[5] They have three children. They live on the Davie County farm where Budd was raised.[5]

References
  1. Arkin, James. "Ted Budd launches Senate bid in North Carolina". Politico. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
  2. "Guide to the New Congress" (PDF). Roll Call. Retrieved January 3, 2017.
  3. Richard, Laura E. (July 23, 1987). "Family Moves From City To Rural Davie". Davie County Enterprise Record. p. 6.
  4. "Budd may have had 'rookie' advantage". Davie County Enterprise Record. June 30, 2016. Retrieved November 3, 2016.
  5. "How a gun store owner with no political experience won the nation's most crowded primary". Charlotte Observer. Retrieved November 3, 2016.
  6. Record, Taft Wireback Greensboro News &. "Political neophyte draws big-dollar support in District 13 House race". Winston-Salem Journal. Retrieved November 3, 2016.
  7. "Ted Budd a likeable guy". Davie County Enterprise Record. July 7, 2016. Retrieved November 3, 2016.
  8. Budd, Ted (July 29, 2021). "In Honor of DuWayne Amen" (PDF). Congressional Record - Extension of Remarks. Retrieved February 28, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  9. "Davie High School - Class of 1990". Davie County Enterprise Record. June 7, 1990. p. 2C.
  10. "Area Students Earn College And University Degrees". Davie County Enterprise Record. June 2, 1994. p. C1.
  11. Trump’s pick in a key Senate race touts his agriculture ties. He doesn’t mention his role in a bankruptcy that cost farmers millions, Washington Post, Michael Kranish, August 31, 2021. Retrieved September 9, 2021.
  12. "Seventeen Republicans Walk into a Primary..." Roll Call. May 23, 2016. Retrieved November 3, 2016.
  13. "13th District: Ted Budd wins his first run for office". Charlotte Observer. Retrieved November 3, 2016.
  14. Gowing, Dale; Mastandrea, Nina. "Ted Budd wins big in 13th". Mooresville Tribune. Retrieved November 3, 2016.
  15. "Davis: Experience a must for U.S. House seat". News & Record. Retrieved November 3, 2016.
  16. Rickard, Tim (November 8, 2016). "Political newcomer Ted Budd wins redrawn U.S. House 13th District". News & Record. Retrieved November 8, 2016.
  17. Douglas, William (January 3, 2017). "New House Rep. Ted Budd of NC sworn into office; now he'll bunk there". The Wichita Eagle. Retrieved January 26, 2017.
  18. Dexheimer, Elizabeth (July 5, 2017). "Taking Wall Street's Side, Young Congressman Infuriates Allies". Bloomberg. Retrieved February 7, 2018. Budd affiliated himself with the Freedom Caucus
  19. Bash, Dana; Raju, Manu; Diaz, Daniella; Fox, Lauren; Warren, Michael (February 26, 2021). "More than a dozen Republicans tell House they can't attend votes due to 'public health emergency.' They're slated to be at CPAC". CNN. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
  20. Grayer, Annie; Diaz, Daniella (March 10, 2021). "First on CNN: Watchdog group requests investigation into 13 GOP lawmakers for misusing proxy voting". CNN. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
  21. "Republican 'voted to gut protections for pre-existing conditions?' There's more to it". News & Observer. 2018.
  22. Platoff, Emma (October 6, 2020). "As Ken Paxton faces criminal allegations, an agency at war with itself must carry on the state's business". The Texas Tribune. Archived from the original on October 7, 2020. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
  23. AP Sources: FBI is investigating Texas attorney general, Associated Press, Ken Bleiberg, November 17, 2020. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
  24. Blood, Michael R.; Riccardi, Nicholas (December 5, 2020). "Biden officially secures enough electors to become president". AP News. Archived from the original on December 8, 2020. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
  25. Liptak, Adam (December 11, 2020). "Supreme Court Rejects Texas Suit Seeking to Subvert Election". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on December 11, 2020. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
  26. "Order in Pending Case" (PDF). Supreme Court of the United States. December 11, 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 11, 2020. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  27. Diaz, Daniella. "Brief from 126 Republicans supporting Texas lawsuit in Supreme Court". CNN. Archived from the original on December 12, 2020. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  28. Yourish, Karen; Buchanan, Larry; Lu, Denise (January 7, 2021). "The 147 Republicans Who Voted to Overturn Election Results". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  29. Trump's pick in a key Senate race touts his agriculture ties. He doesn't mention his role in bankruptcy that cost farmers millions, Washington Post, Michael Kranish, August 30, 2021. Retrieved September 7, 2021.
  30. "PolitiFact - No, HR 1 doesn't 'allow minors to vote'". PolitiFact. March 10, 2021. Retrieved March 17, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  31. "H.R. 6395: William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act ... -- House Vote #152 -- Jul 21, 2020".
  32. Diaz, Daniella; Wilson, Kristin (March 19, 2021). "14 House Republicans vote against a measure condemning military coup in Myanmar". CNN. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
  33. "Committees and Caucuses | U.S. Congressman Ted Budd". budd.house.gov. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
  34. Dexheimer, Elizabeth (July 5, 2017). "Taking Wall Street's Side, Young Congressman Infuriates Allies". Bloomberg. Retrieved December 6, 2017. Budd affiliated himself with the Freedom Caucus
  35. "Membership". Republican Study Committee. December 6, 2017. Retrieved March 28, 2021.
  36. "Ted Budd launches Senate bid in North Carolina". Politico. April 28, 2021. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
  37. Murphy, Brian (June 5, 2021). "Trump endorses Ted Budd in North Carolina's Senate race as Lara Trump declines to run". The News News&Observer.
  38. Trump endorses North Carolina’s Rep. Ted Budd for Senate after Lara Trump declines to run, Washington Post, Josh Dawsey, June 6, 2021. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
  39. Republican leaders say they want to focus on the future, but Trump is far from done with the past, Washington Post, Josh Dawsey and Julie Watson, June 6, 2021. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
  40. "Club for Growth targets Idaho Rep. Simpson for defeat in 2014". Idaho Statesman. February 27, 2013. Retrieved September 9, 2021.
  41. Wing, Nick (February 27, 2013). "Club For Growth Launches New Effort To Recruit GOP Primary Challengers Against Republicans". Huffington Post. Retrieved September 9, 2021.
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