In 1740, Crauford, having inherited a fortune from his father, a wealthy merchant, and acquired another through his wife, was adopted by the Ayrshire opposition Whigs as an anti-Walpole candidate, standing against the sitting Member, General James Campbell, a government supporter.
As your own Member is not here [on military service] and that the whole country is generally reflected on ... I should be glad to know what your town offered to do for your own and the country’s defence and what you and the neighbouring counties would probably have done if furnished with arms and properly encouraged with authority.
HMC Laing, ii. 349.
In 1747 Pelham considered putting up a candidate against him but in the event he was re-elected without a contest. In 1753 he was described as ‘always with the Tories’.
He died 10 Jan. 1778.