Craig Alan Goldman is a real estate businessman from his native Fort Worth, Texas, who is a Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives from District 97 in Tarrant County. First elected in 2012, Goldman successfully sought a third two-year term in the general election held on November 8, 2016. Goldman secured a fourth term in 2018. With 35,083 votes, he defeated another Democrat, Beth Llewellyn McLaughlin, who collected 29,549 ballots. Another 1,283 votes went to the Libertarian choice, Rod Wingo.
Craig first ran for the state House in a special election held in November 2007 to fill the seat vacated by the resignation on August 15 of that year of Republican Representative Anna Mowery. He received 2,947 votes, a fourth-place finish, and was hence eliminated from contention in the runoff election on December 18. In that contest, Democrat Dan Barrett defeated Republican Mark M. Shelton, a pediatrician from Fort Worth, 52-48 percent. After less than a year in office, Barrett was unseated as representative by Mark Shelton in the general election on November 4, 2008. After two terms as representative, Shelton did not seek re-nomination in 2012; instead he ran a strong but unsuccessful race for the District 10 seat in the Texas State Senate, held by Wendy R. Davis, the 2014 Democratic gubernatorial nominee against Republican Greg Abbott. Shelton tried again to seek the District 10 Senate seat that Davis vacated in her unsuccessful gubernatorial bid. In the May 27, 2014 runoff election, Shelton was defeated by the conservative activist Konni Burton of Colleyville, a favorite of the Tea Party movement. Goldman entered the 2012 Republican primary; with 6,333 votes, he defeated two opponents, Susan Todd, with 4,143 votes, and Chris Hatch, who finished third with 1,105. Goldman then defeated Democrat Gary Allen Grassia of Fort Worth, in the general election on November 6, 2012, receiving 38,139 to 24,159. Another 1,873 votes went to the Libertarian Party nominee, Rodney Lynn "Rod" Wingo of Fort Worth. For the 86th Texas Legislative Session that convened in 2019, Goldman serves on the House committees of Elections and Licensing & Administrative Procedures. In October 2016, Goldman wrote a letter to voters critical of his Democratic opponent, Elizabeth Tarrant's, atheism stating, "I am asking for your support this November to send me back to Austin and continue to represent you and your values. My Democrat opponent is a self-proclaimed atheist. This is who the Democrat party is backing as their nominee, and I am certain my opponent does not have does the values you want to represent you in Austin."
Legislative positions
A pro-life legislator, Goldman supported the ban on abortion after twenty weeks of gestation; the measure passed the House, 96-49. He co-sponsored companion legislation to enhance the medical and licensing requirements of abortion providers. These issues brought forth an unsuccessful filibuster in the state Senate by Democratic gubernatorial nominee Wendy R. Davis of Fort Worth. The TexasRight to Life Committee rated Goldman 78 percent favorable. Goldman opposed the bill to establish a taxpayer-funded breakfast program for public schools; the measure passed the House, 73-58. He supported legislation to provide marshals for school security as a separate law-enforcement entity. Goldman co-sponsored the successful bill to extend the franchise tax exemption to certain businesses. He voted against adoption of the biennial state budget, which passed in the House, 118-29. Goldman voted against the bill to prohibit texting while driving, which nevertheless passed the House, 97-45. He voted to require testing for narcotics of those individuals receiving unemployment compensation. He voted against the "equal pay for women" measure, which nevertheless passed the House, 78-61. He shepherded through the legislature HB 2717, which exempted traditional African hair braiders from cosmetology licensing requirements; the bill was signed by Governor Greg Abbott in June, 2015. Goldman supported the measure to forbid the state from engaging in the enforcement of federal regulations of firearms. He co-sponsored legislation to allow college and university officials to carry concealed weapons in the name of campus security. He voted to reduce the time required to obtain a concealed-carry permit. He backed the redistricting bills for the state House and Senate and the United States House of Representatives. Goldman voted against term limits for certain state officials.
