George N. Craig

George North Craig (August 6, 1909 – December 17, 1992) was an American attorney and politician who served as the 39th governor of the U.S. state of Indiana from 1953 until 1957. A lawyer and veteran of World War II who was promoted to serve in a division command staff, Craig first gained popularity in the state as National Commander of The American Legion. He was a political outsider when he ran for governor and was at odds with more conservative party leadership during his time in office. Although he made significant reforms, his term ended with a high-profile bribery scandal, in which it was found that several high-level state employees had been accepting bribes to influence their decisions in assigning construction contracts. Despite his lack of involvement in the scandal, Craig was blamed for it by the public, damaging his reputation and ending his political career.

Angered by the bribery scandal and at odds with party leaders, he left the state after his term and moved to Virginia, where he opened a law office and later became president of an automotive company. After a decade he returned to Indiana, where he retired from public life, but he resumed activity in the Republican Party as a political adviser until his death in 1992.