Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Dwaine Caraway exemplifies the spirit and energy that this newspaper wishes more Dallas City Council members had when it comes to advocating for their constituents. He deserves another term.

While others might be satisfied to return residents' phone calls, Caraway cruises the streets of District 4 in search of stray dogs, code violators or anything that drags down quality of life in southern Dallas.

Caraway got off to a fast start in his first term and has partnered with Mayor Tom Leppert on several high-profile initiatives. He's often been a unifying force at City Hall and the most visible crusader for Dallas' struggling neighborhoods – not just those within his district.

Caraway, 56, who owns an advertising company, has tirelessly worked to close "hot sheet" motels in southern Dallas. The Oak Cliff resident won national attention in 2007 with his campaign urging boys to pull up their pants. Alarmed by packs of roaming dogs in his district, Caraway invited Animal Control officers to join him on a midnight-to-6 a.m. patrol shift to demonstrate that dogs don't necessarily abide by a 9-to-5 work schedule.

When this editorial board convened an evening town hall meeting last year to discuss problems in southeast Dallas, Caraway not only attended – despite it being at a venue technically outside his district – but called a second meeting to keep the discussion going.

We've urged council members from all parts of Dallas to find new ways to "bridge the gap" in economic disparity between northern and southern Dallas. An example of Caraway doing just that is the role he's played in the Lancaster corridor DART development plan. He helped find a way to make tax-increment financing for northern Dallas conditional on a matching investment in southern Dallas, giving northern developers a strong financial incentive to get involved.

During our interview with the District 4 candidates, Caraway's opponent, Lawrence Jordan, a 42-year-old research associate, showed minimal knowledge on a number of critical issues, including the Inland Port and the Mayor's Southern Dallas Task Force.

Caraway was quick and authoritative. His energy, commitment and record of service underscore our belief that he is the right person to represent District 4.