The Honorable D. Craig Horn, a former Russian linguist with USAF Security Service and retired food broker, served five terms in the North Carolina General Assembly representing District 68, Western Union County, retiring in January 2021.  Horn was co-chairman of the House Education Appropriations and the House Education K-12 Committees.  He was also the House Chairman of the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee and the Joint Legislative Program Evaluation Oversight Committee. Horn served on the NC Child Fatality Task Force, was a Commissioner to the Education Commission of the States and an Early Learning Fellow at the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Horn led efforts in the General Assembly to move public education into the digital age. In 2015, he was recognized by the NC Technology Association as the Public Leader of the Year. In 2017 EdScoop selected Representative Horn as one of 25 “Ed Tech Heroes” for his work in promoting a digital education environment to deliver quality education to every student, the only elected official in the USA to make the list.

In addition to his work in education, Rep. Horn authored Kilah’s Law on child abuse which later passed the US Congress and was signed into law in 2016. Horn has done extensive work on drug abuse issues.  He gained passage of various pieces of legislation dealing with artificial cannabinoids, methamphetamine, and opioid abuse.

Rep. Horn is president of the Churchill Society of North Carolina and serves on the Operating Committee of the International Churchill Society. Craig has spoken at the National Conference of State Legislatures International Summit and has been a frequent presenter at NCSL’s Emerging Leaders Conferences.

In 2015, Rep. Horn was awarded a Doctorate of Humane Letters by Wingate University for his work in education.  In 2020, he was elected a Trustee of Wingate University.  In 2021, Rep. Horn was awarded an Associates of Arts Honoris Causa from South Piedmont Community College.

Craig and his wife Lorraine live in Weddington, North Carolina. They have four grown children and seven grandchildren.