Theodore Paul Budd (born October 21, 1971) is an American businessman and politician serving as the junior United States senator for North Carolina since 2023. A member of the Republican Party, he was the U.S. representative for North Carolina's 13th congressional district from 2017 to 2023. Budd was the Republican nominee in the 2022 United States Senate election in North Carolina to replace retiring Republican senator Richard Burr. He defeated the Democratic nominee, Cheri Beasley, and subsequently took office on January 3, 2023.