In the 2008 election, Craig waged an unexpected challenge to the twenty-year [[incumbent]] [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] judge, [[Dewey Burchett|Dewey E. Burchett, Jr.]], of Benton and narrowly defeated him, 12,182 votes (51 percent) to 11,683 (49 percent). Craig hence prevailed by fewer than four hundred votes.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 4, 2008.</ref> Incumbent judges are rarely challenged in northwestern Louisiana, particularly in a controversial campaign like this one. Craig called Burchett a "[[liberal]]" and cited cases in which he claimed the judge had rendered too lenient sentences. Burchett questioned a tax lien filed against Craig by the [[Internal Revenue Service]] and issues relating to Craig's [[divorce]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ktbs.com/story/22340248/craig-defeats-incumbent-bossier-webster-judge|title=Craig defeats incumbent Bossier-Webster judge|publisher=KTBS-TV|date=October 5, 2008|accessdate=May 29, 2020}}</ref>
After the campaign against Burchett, the Louisiana Board of Ethics censured]] Craig for violation of the campaign finance reporting law. The board found that Craig "unknowingly" reported a $34,000 loan far beyond the $2,500 limit from his father, Norman Dale Craig (born August 1939) of Bossier City. The board said that Craig admitted the violation and "acted immediately" to remedy the situation. He was not fined but reprimanded through publication of the board opinion.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ktbs.com/story/22348255/state-ethics-board-censures-bossier-judge|title=State Ethics Board Censures Bossier Judge|publisher=KTBS-TV ([[ABC]] in [[Shreveport]])|accessdate=July 20May 29, 20152020}}</ref>
Like his fellow Judges [[Mike Nerren]], [[Parker Self]], and Jeff Cox, all of Bossier Parish, Craig was unopposed for his second six-year term in the primary for judge held on November 4, 2014, in conjunction with the mid-term congressional elections nationwide. So were two other Republican judicial candidates, [[Charles Jacobs]] of Springhill in northern Webster Parish and former state Representative [[Jeff R. Thompson]] of Bossier City.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/news/local/2014/08/20/desoto-da-minden-mayor-candidates-qualify/14331543/|title=Final day of qualifying in DeSoto, Webster|author=Vickie Welborn|publisher=''The Shreveport Times]]''|date=August 20, 2014|accessdate=August 22, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://bossierpress.com/candidates-for-november-election-in-bossier-parish/|title=Candidates for November election in Bossier Parish|publisher=''The Bossier Press-Tribune''|date=August 26, 2014|accessdate=July 20, 2015}}</ref>