Before his Senate service, Faircloth was a prominent and wealthy hog farmer. One impetus for his political activism was his disagreement with the increasing regulations targeting large hog farming operations such as his, fueled by an environmentalist and populist backlash.

Faircloth once joked that he wanted to be known as the conservative senator from North Carolina. Since the state's other seat was held by Jesse Helms, that may be seen as an indication of his ideological proclivities.

He was elected in 1992, when he defeated Democrat Terry Sanford and served from 1993 to 1999. Faircloth was defeated in his 1998 re-election bid by Democrat John Edwards.