Craig Robert Collins

Craig Robert Collins is the Republican candidate for North Carolina Court of Appeals Seat 3 in the November 3, 2026 general election. The Republican primary for the seat was cancelled, so Collins advanced automatically to the ballot where he will face Democrat Christine Walczyk.

Collins earned a B.A. from the University of Pittsburgh in 1994 and a J.D. from Villanova University School of Law in 1997 ¹. He began his legal career as an assistant district attorney in Gaston County, serving from 1997 to 2006 and prosecuting thousands of criminal cases on behalf of the state ⁴¹¹. After leaving the DA’s office, he opened the Law Office of Craig Collins, operating the private practice from 2007 until 2016 ¹.

In 2016 Collins was appointed a North Carolina District Court judge for District 27A, a position he has held through at least the end of 2026 ⁶¹. The campaign website also notes that he served as a District Court judge until 2024 and is now a Superior Court judge ⁴. He has presided over a wide range of criminal, traffic, juvenile and civil matters, and describes himself as a “constitutional conservative” who believes the Constitution’s words have fixed meaning ¹¹. Collins is active in local Republican politics, having served as chairman of the party’s 10th district ¹¹.

Collins has sought elected judicial office several times. In the May 17, 2022 Republican primary he ran for the North Carolina 27A Judicial District seat, competing against Ashley C. Hyman ². He was the Republican candidate for the North Carolina 5th Superior Court Division, District 38 Seat 3, in the November 5, 2024 general election ³⁶. In each case he was listed as a Republican and received the party’s endorsement to appear on the ballot.

For the 2026 Court of Appeals race, Collins is listed as the Republican nominee for Seat 3. The seat is currently held by Democrat Allegra Collins, who is not seeking re‑election; the Democratic primary produced Christine Walczyk and James Whalen, with Walczyk advancing to the general election ¹¹². Collins’s campaign emphasizes his extensive courtroom experience, his prosecutorial background, and his commitment to “constitutional conservatism.” He also highlights his Christian faith and his leadership within the local GOP ¹¹.

Collins can be contacted via email at [email protected], a address provided on his Ballotpedia profile ¹. His campaign website, https://www.votecraigcollins.com/ offers additional information about his background and judicial philosophy.

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