David Wayne Craven JR

David Wayne Craven Jr., commonly known as Dave Craven, is the incumbent Republican State Senator for North Carolina’s 29th Senate District, which includes Anson, Montgomery, Randolph, Richmond and Union counties. He is on the ballot for re‑election in the November 3, 2026 general election for the same seat ¹¹².

Craven was born around 1990 in Randolph County, North Carolina, and earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where he served as student‑body president and later on the university’s Board of Trustees ¹⁰¹⁴. After college he entered the banking sector, rising to senior vice president of business development at Fidelity Bank (formerly The Fidelity Bank) and later becoming a commercial relationship manager for the Bank of North Carolina ¹²¹⁴. He has also held leadership roles in local economic development, serving on the board of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina since 2016 and as treasurer, vice‑chair and chairman of the Randolph County Economic Development Corporation ¹²¹⁴. Community involvement includes presidencies of the Asheboro Rotary Club and board memberships with Habitat for Humanity of Randolph County, Communities in Schools, and the Randolph County United Way ¹²¹⁴.

Craven entered the state legislature in July 2020 when Governor Roy Cooper appointed him to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of Senator Jerry W. Tillman. He also became the Republican nominee for the 26th Senate District in the 2020 general election ¹¹⁰. He won that election and subsequently represented the 26th District until redistricting placed him in the 29th District beginning with the 2022 cycle ¹¹². He was re‑elected in 2022 and again in 2024, defeating Democratic challenger Kevin Clark with 68.6 % of the vote ¹.

As a legislator, Craven participates in the core duties of a North Carolina senator: sponsoring and voting on bills, shaping the state budget, and providing oversight through committee work. He has served on a range of committees, most recently as Co‑Chair of the Senate Finance Committee and a member of the Agriculture, Energy, and Environment; Commerce and Insurance; Judiciary; Pensions and Retirement and Aging; Regulatory Reform; and Appropriations on Education/Higher Education committees ¹²¹⁴. His committee leadership positions, particularly on finance and commerce, reflect his background in banking and economic development.

Craven’s legislative record includes sponsoring bills on topics such as Medicaid funding, education financing, and public safety, and he has voted on high‑profile measures including permit‑less concealed carry and state‑level education reforms ¹⁹. He has also been active in securing state funding for local projects, such as the North Carolina SelectSites Readiness Program and infrastructure upgrades for the Charlotte‑Monroe Executive Airport, which were highlighted during a 2024 visit to Monroe ¹⁶.

Craven’s campaign platform emphasizes limited government, personal responsibility, and individual liberty, consistent with his self‑description as a “new voice” for North Carolina ¹³²⁰. He continues to promote economic development initiatives, support higher education, and advocate for fiscal responsibility in the General Assembly.

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