Who is Ted Budd? Priorities, issues for NC’s new Republican senator
On Jan. 3, Rep. Ted Budd will be sworn in as North Carolina’s next U.S. Senator.
Budd will join the Senate after serving three terms in the House representing the 13th District, which contains Salisbury, Mocksville, Lexington, Asheboro, Burlington, Yanceyville and Roxboro. In his career, Budd has reliably voted with his party and used his time in Congress to speak on gun rights, immigration and financial issues.
Born in Davie County, Budd’s parents owned a farm. His father ran a successful janitorial and landscaping business, and Budd later opened a gun range in Forsyth County in 2010.
He successfully ran for Congress in 2016, saying in his congressional biography he wanted to “bring a businessman’s outlook to our nation’s capital.” He received a boost from the Club for Growth, a conservative political action group, en route to beating 16 other candidates who piled into the race after court-ordered redistricting changes the state’s map.
Budd is a member of the Freedom Caucus, which includes some of Congress’ most conservative members. He also serves on the Financial Services Committee.
In January 2021, he voted against the certification of the 2020 presidential election. Budd was one of 147 Republicans to vote against certification.
Budd met his wife, Amy Kate, on a church mission to the Soviet Union in 1991. They have three children.
Budd received a master’s degree in business administration from Wake Forest University and a master’s of theology and educational Leadership from Dallas Theological Seminary. He graduated from Appalachian State University with a degree in business management in 1994.
Budd lays out priorities in U.S. Senate
During his victory speech in Winston-Salem Tuesday night, Budd said he wanted to “put the breaks on the Biden agenda of reckless spending, over-regulation and higher taxes.”
His campaign, which defeated Democratic nominee and former state Supreme Court Chief Justice Cheri Beasley, focused mostly on economic issues, crime and border security.
At a meeting with law enforcement officials in Lexington in August, Budd said he hoped to increase funding for border security officers and to take other action on immigration. The senator-elect says he supports federal legislation that would allow victims of crimes committed by previously released undocumented immigrants to sue local governments that released them from jail.
Sen. Thom Tillis also said he supported that legislation.
Tillis on Tuesday said he first met Budd about 10 years ago at a shooting range.
“When I met him, I walked away thinking this guy needs to be in public service someday,” Tillis said. “I’m so glad he’s done such a good job in Congress and built a resume that made him a winner in North Carolina.”
Budd on abortion, guns
Abortion emerged as a major issue in the U.S. Senate race.
Budd co-signed a bill from Sen. Lindsay Graham of South Carolina that would implement a nationwide 15-week ban on abortion. Before that, Budd spoke often about wanting the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the landmark Roe v Wade decision.
In a profile of the congressman, the Raleigh News & Observer reported Budd spoke nearly every anniversary of the Roe decision on the House floor.
Budd said in his only debate against Beasley his pro-life views include saving the life of the mother, but he has not committed to allowing abortion in cases of rape or incest.
On gun issues, Budd voted against a bill that passed after the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. Both Tillis and Sen. Richard Burr supported the legislation. He has also spoken against a bill that would create a background check system for individuals trading firearms, the News and Observer reported.
This story was originally published November 10, 2022 at 2:24 PM with the headline "Who is Ted Budd? Priorities, issues for NC’s new Republican senator."
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