In another part of the newspaper, you may have read that I’m retiring. Predictably, I will have some parting comments, but they can await another week.

More important is my final political endorsement before heading into the sunset: N.C. Sen. Dan Barrett in the Republican primary on May 8. Early voting begins this week.

I like Dan personally. He’s smart and reasonable. He doesn’t have an ax to grind. His political instincts align with mine. He has tremendous upside potential as his tenure expands in the Senate.

Redistricting has thrown two incumbents — Barrett, a former Davie County commissioner and long-time Clemmons lawyer, and Joyce Krawiec of Kernersville — together in the 31st NC Senate district which now includes Davie and Forsyth counties, excluding Winston-Salem.

By all accounts, Sen. Krawiec is a nice person. I’ve never met her. Surely she has visited Clemmons on occasion, but we haven’t crossed paths during her four years in office. Admittedly, I don’t get out much.

Barrett, however, is highly visible. He shows up. Public service has been part of his DNA. His father was mayor of Laurinburg. Dan honors the obligation on a politician to meet his public.

Geography — call it home cooking — influences my choice.

Dan’s career and life have been spent in Clemmons and Davie County. Sen. Krawiec is from eastern Forsyth County. When all other things are equal among the candidates, I vote local.

With growing populations, both Davie and Clemmons’ political influences have expanded. U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx has an office in Clemmons. U.S. Rep. Ted Budd has an office in Bermuda Run. For the first time, Davie County now has residents serving in the NC House, NC Senate and Congress. That political influence should be protected.

The choice is made easy by Barrett’s exemplary character and devotion to his county and district. He has been an excellent addition to the Senate. He needs to stay.

Dan Barrett is a principled conservative who meets the public easily and knows how to get things done. Let’s keep him in Raleigh.

• • • • •

Rumors to the contrary, it is not true that Bill Hall forced me to change my party registration to Republican before he would let me marry his daughter.

I had already switched.

I may be guilty of fueling that story. I told it a few more times last week after my father-in-law’s death. He had once been head of the county GOP and was a staunch party man.

I do think he called the Board of Elections office just to check on my registration. Some of his brothers-in-law questioned him about my political affiliation at the wedding, thinking I was one of those liberal media types.

Mr. Hall’s ideal politician was Sen. James E. Broyhill. He was the Davie County chairman of Broyhill’s first congressional campaign.

Mr. Hall often lamented the uncivil tone of modern politics. He could talk to a Democrat without yelling or insulting. He also didn’t care much for weak-kneed, indecisive politicians of either party.

– Dwight Sparks