Van Braxton has a long record of community involvement.  He has served as Kinston City Councilman for eleven years, being first elected in 1994.  He owned and operated Goodyear Tire of Kinston for over twenty five years, and manages a farm in Greene County.  He also has a long history of leadership in Queen Street Methodist Church, where he has served as chair of the administrative board and chair of the finance committee.          

             Van has also been involved in many other aspects of our community.  An active member of PRIDE of Kinston, he has worked hard to revitalize Kinston's downtown.  He also serves on the Lenoir County Recreation Board and the Gang Violence Task Force and volunteers with the American Red Cross.

             Van's experiences have given him a strong understanding of the issues facing citizens of the 10th district.  As a small businessman, he knows firsthand the challenges and opportunties facing our communities as our economy changes.  His experience as a long-term care insurance provider gives him an understanding of the strain put on senior citizens by increasing health care costs.  And through his wife Sandra, a retired guidance counselor at Kinston High School, he knows the importance of our education system.