North Carolina Rep. Ray Warren announced Saturday that he will not seek re-election for a third term in office.
Warren, who represents Alexander County and a portion of Catawba County as the representative for District 88, is currently the only Democrat who represents Catawba County.
He said he would not seek another term because he wants to spend more time at home with his wife.
"I've been in politics for quite a while, as sheriff, and then in the Legislature for two terms," he said. "I want to be home, travel less and spend some vacation time with my wife. She's retiring at the end of the year."
Warren began work at the Alexander County Sheriff's Office in 1978. He was elected sheriff in 1990 and served three four-year terms as sheriff before retiring in 2002. He is currently serving his second term as a representative in the N.C. House.
Warren said during his time in office, he was proud to get funding for the N.C. Center for Engineering and Technologies in Hickory, add a penny to hotel occupancy and tourism tax in Hickory and Conover and have some success with grant allocations to Catawba and Alexander counties for employment.
He also was able to build a small prison in Alexander County that added 65 jobs, with the option of 10 more jobs, with the help of Sen. Steve Goss, Warren said.
"I've had a good working relationship with the leadership," he said.
Warren's term will end Jan. 1, 2011.
Advertisement