Craven has a rich political history: it’s home to Bev Perdue, the state’s first and only female governor, former state auditor Beth Wood, and to North Carolina’s original capital, where the first Provincial Congress in the colonies met in 1774.

Today, Craven is ranked 27th in the state by population. Its economy is rooted in military defense and manufacturing. In addition to the Marine Corps base at Cherry Point, Craven also serves as the location for Fleet Readiness Center East (FRCE), the state’s largest manufacturing, maintenance, and repair depot for the U.S. Navy. Outside of the military, CarolinaEast Medical Center is the county’s top employer, followed by BSH Home Appliances and Moen.

Craven is a solidly Republican county, though, like many Eastern North Carolina counties, it was a Democratic stronghold not too long ago. In 2012, Democrats made up 40% of the county’s registered voters. Today, Democrats make up less than 30% of the county’s registered voters and Republicans are the largest registration group at 37%.