Meet Craig

Craig Hayes is an electoral reform advocate, grassroots organizer, and progressive Democrat running for District 22 of the Maryland House of Delegates to bring a new generation of leadership to Annapolis. Craig was born in Germany to an Irish immigrant and a U.S. Air Force service member. Because of his father’s deployments abroad, Craig’s grandparents helped raise and mentor him in Washington County, Maryland. There he learned to read music, play the alto saxophone, and cherish one of our state’s most vital natural resources, the Potomac River. 

Craig’s family also taught him the value of resilience, service to one’s community, and standing up for what is right. After his grandparents unexpectedly passed away due to failures in our government and healthcare system, Craig vowed to be a champion for reform so that other families may not suffer the same loss and grief.

A proud product of our country’s public schools, Craig graduated summa cum laude from Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania with a degree in political science. In addition to leading competitive Democratic campaigns and managing constituent services, he has published and presented research on proportional electoral systems and submitted written testimony in support of electoral reforms like ranked choice voting and local public financing.

Craig currently lives in Hyattsville with his partner, Teddy, and their two rescue cats, Floyd and Kairi. In his spare time, he volunteers for a nonprofit dedicated to providing comprehensive services and support to vulnerable individuals experiencing homelessness and food insecurity.