HIGH POINT, N.C. (WGHP) — A candidate is working towards officially joining a congressional race that will impact the Piedmont Triad.
Andy Craighill-Middleton launched a campaign in early April to become a write-in candidate for the Democratic Party in the Congressional District 6 race.
Rep. Kathy Manning (D-Greensboro), who currently holds the seat, opted not to run again, citing the Republicans’ freshly drawn maps as the reason. No other Democrats filed to run before the March primaries.
The district encompasses Davidson, Davie and Rowan Counties, as well as parts of Cabarrus, Forsyth and Guilford Counties. Craighill-Middleton spoke highly of his district, saying, “Rural America is where so many cool things are happening.”
Craighill-Middleton, a trans man from the Kannapolis area, works as a freelance graphic designer and recently served as third vice chair for the Rowan County Democratic Party. He is working to obtain the 250 signatures required by the North Carolina State Board of Elections to become a recognized write-in candidate in the race for the District 6 seat.
“Andy is a deeply caring, competent, intelligent person who has found a home with the Rowan County Democratic Party. His skills with our media task force have expanded our outreach extensively.
He is compassionately committed to making the world a safer, better place for all people. His passion has led him to take up the challenge and risk of running as a Democrat write-in candidate for the 6th Congressional District.
I believe he will be a strong voice in Washington representing all the residents of our area. I heartily endorse him.”
Geoffrey Hoy, Chair, Rowan County Democratic Party
According to Craighill-Middleton, he was able to get over half of the required signatures within a couple of days of launching what he described as a “totally non-traditional” campaign, well ahead of the first deadline of July 23 when the signatures will need to be verified.
While a would-be candidate in North Carolina could collect signatures to be on the ballot as an “unaffiliated” candidate, albeit with a higher number of signatures required, Craighill-Middleton says the choice to be a write-in Democratic candidate is a deliberate one.
“I’m running as a write-in rather than an unaffiliated candidate because I see it as an issue of integrity,” he said. “I stand by Democratic values and for a strong democracy that protects its people. The signature numbers aren’t the issue at all; it’s transparency and honesty, which are two values that both as a voter and now as a candidate are important to me. Being a write-in is an honor, name on the ballot or not. We’ve seen Peter Welch, Dave Loebsack and more succeed, and I plan to be the next.”
He describes the campaign as an “uphill battle” but says he wouldn’t have it any other way.
“It’s really a campaign built by people,” Craighill-Middleton said. “We didn’t hire a campaign management team. Literally, everything that’s been coming in to help us has been a result of someone saying, ‘No, this is what’s right.'”
He says that while his campaign is in its early days, he has most of his committee together. As the campaign continues, he plans to hold community-led events, like picnics, to reach more people within his district. He says he’s interested in holding events that ordinary people can afford as opposed to expensive fundraisers “because ultimately this is by the people for the people.”
His campaign materials describe him as “an advocate for a better life for all of us.”
“I’m tired of watching our taxes get higher while corporations don’t pay their fair share. I’m tired of watching women’s rights continue to be taken away, and I’m tired of seeing empty promises,” he writes.
A campaign flier lists the following items as a part of his platform:
- Lower taxes for the working class
- Better worker protections across the country
- Restoration of women’s health care
- Protecting our education system
- Limiting government overreach in digital privacy
- Supporting HBCUs and accessible college education for all
- Prioritizing mental health care
- An easier path to home ownership
- Improved care for our veterans.
Craighill-Middleton, who grew up with a tech startup in his home and has worked in tech and marketing, also stated that lawmakers’ lack of technological awareness concerns him, saying he believes legislators are passing laws about things they don’t fully understand.
He says his desire to help his community is a big part of his desire to run and that it was North Carolina’s recently-passed abortion law that galvanized him to get into politics. He describes himself not as a politician; “I’m just an angry dad.”
“Democracy is supposed to work for its people and it’s not right now,” he said, adding that he believes there is “a complete lack of transparency and integrity” in current politics.
“‘Do you want to actually help people or do you just want power?’ And that was highlighted in that primary,” he said, referring to the contentious District 6 Republican primary. The GOP primary ended in a close race between former Rep. Mark Walker and Trump-endorsed lobbyist Addison McDowell. McDowell ultimately won the primary when Walker was hired for Trump’s campaign and declined a run-off election.
“Addison is a former insurance lobbyist,” he said of his opponent. “I don’t think he’s going to represent anyone’s best interests at all.”
“When we stand together, we’re stronger. We’ve got to get the Democrats together, and we’ve got to make some kind of change.”
“This is not the country I grew up in, this is not the country I want to raise my son in,” he said, reflecting on what he characterized as the extreme and contentious nature of politics. “We deserve better. My son deserves better. Nobody should be persecuted for just trying to live.”
To find out more about Craighill-Middleton, you can follow his campaign on X, formerly Twitter, and Facebook.
