Robert N. Barnette Jr. is the Democratic candidate running for the 55th district House of Delegates seat vacated by the retiring Del. Frank Hargrove Sr.

He competes for the seat against Republican candidate John Cox, who won a three-way primary in June. The election is Nov. 3.

Barnette, 57, is a self-employed consultant. His company, Barnette & Associates, specializes in offering safety and loss prevention programs for small businesses.

Previously, he served in the U.S. Air Force from 1971 to 1974 and the Air Force Reserve for a few more years. January 1977, he entered the 192nd

Tactical Fighter Group Virginia Air National Guard and eventually rose to the rank of State Command Chief Master Sergeant. "When I retired, I was the senior enlisted advisor in the entire state," he said.

I remember when my wife, Janice, and I decided to move to Hanover County 15 years ago. We chose Hanover in large part because we knew it would offer our two daughters a quality education. That was the right decision because Mechanicsville has been recognized as the United States’ 84th best small town to live in by Money Magazine.

When I opened my small business in the Mechanicsville area 10 years ago, I believed that Hanover would be a good place in which to do business. And it is a good place to do business.  I knew that Hanover had a lot to offer my family. It was a place where we could make the American dream come true, with hard work and dedication. We must keep it that way for future generations.

Thanks to your help, we are making headway in letting voters know that they have a very important decision to make when they go to the polls on November 3 and cast their vote for the next representative for the 55th District in the House of Delegates.