About
Ted Budd (R-N.C.) served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives—his first public office—from 2017–23, representing North Carolina’s 13th Congressional District. In 2022, he ran for the Senate with Trump’s endorsement and managed to win by a little more than 100,000 votes.
Before being elected to office, Budd worked on his family’s cattle and chicken farm, and for their janitorial and landscaping business. He also owns a gun range in North Carolina where a fatal shooting occurred in 2019.
In 1999, Budd and his family loaned $10 million to the agribusiness firm AgriBioTech before it declared bankruptcy, costing farmers millions of dollars in losses. Court documents reviewed by The Washington Post show that a trustee for farmers and other creditors alleged that Richard Budd, Ted’s father, improperly transferred millions of dollars in assets to his family (including Ted) before the family faced a $15-million judgment in the case. Although the lawsuit was settled, the Budd family did not admit to any wrongdoing.
After the 2020 presidential election, Budd cast doubt on the legitimacy of President Biden’s victory. He objected to certifying the Electoral College results and voted against both impeaching Trump for inciting the mob and establishing a special House committee to investigate the insurrection, among other measures.
January 6, 2021
- Just hours after Trump supporters violently attacked the Capitol, Budd joined 146 other congressional Republicans in refusing to certify Biden’s win of the 2020 presidential election.
- Shortly after the insurrection, Budd released a statement condemning the violence. However, he was later quoted as saying “it was nothing” and the attack was merely due to “patriots standing up.”
- After voting against impeaching Trump for his role in inciting the mob, Budd released a statement saying, “A move like this will do nothing other than further inflame tensions and divide our country.”
- Budd voted against establishing a House committee to investigate the genesis of the violence that disrupted the congressional proceedings underway that day.
The Big Lie
- On Nov. 6 and Dec. 1, 2020, Budd joined fellow House Republicans in sending letters to Attorney General Bill Barr urging the Justice Department to investigate irregularities and accusations of fraud in the 2020 presidential election.
- Budd was among 34 Republican members of Congress who repeatedly texted White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows about various schemes to overturn the election results—both before and after the events of Jan. 6, according to TPM.
- On Dec. 10, 2020, Budd signed an amicus brief in a lawsuit filed by the state of Texas urging the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the results of the presidential election in four swing states: Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. He justified his support for the lawsuit by tweeting: “Millions of Americans do not have faith in the November election. One of the best ways to air out the legitimate concerns over voter fraud, machine irregularities, and mail-in ballots is at the Supreme Court.”
- On Dec. 17, 2020, Budd co-signed a letter requesting that congressional leadership hold hearings to “probe all allegations of illegal conduct concerning the Nov. 3, 2020 elections” and “investigate systemic problems” with U.S. elections.
- Immediately after the mob disrupted the congressional session on Jan. 6, Budd returned to the House floor to deliver a speech in which he claimed that Pennsylvania officials acted “illegally” and “violated” both state and federal constitutions.
- In the Liberal Agenda Crusher, an April 2021 video on YouTube introducing his Senate campaign, Budd promised to “make sure our elections are fair.”
Top contributors for the 2024 election cycle.
The organizations themselves did not donate, rather the money came from the organization's PAC, its individual members or employees or owners, and those individuals' immediate families.
| Organization Name | Total | PACs | Individuals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Club for Growth | $353,635.00 | $2,850.00 | $350,785.00 |
| Senate Conservatives Fund | $210,695.00 | $10,000.00 | $200,695.00 |
| Brighthouse Financial | $77,550.00 | $0.00 | $77,550.00 |
| National Republican Senatorial Cmte | $51,200.00 | $51,200.00 | $0.00 |
| Rdv Corp | $40,600.00 | $0.00 | $40,600.00 |
| Veterans Guardian VA Claim Consulting | $40,055.00 | $0.00 | $40,055.00 |
| Old Dominion Freight Line | $33,833.00 | $12,500.00 | $21,333.00 |
| Saulsbury Industries | $33,000.00 | $0.00 | $33,000.00 |
| Truist Financial | $28,730.00 | $10,000.00 | $18,730.00 |
| Budd Group | $28,200.00 | $0.00 | $28,200.00 |