Roger Williams (US politician)
Encyclopedia
John Roger Williams is the former Secretary of State of Texas
, having served from November 2004 until his resignation effective July 1, 2007.
. He was a star baseball
player for Texas Christian University
(TCU) from 1968–1971 and attempted to play professionally with the Atlanta Braves
farm team. He returned to Texas to coach TCU's baseball team before he embarked on a career in business
and public affairs. Williams joined his father in a family automobile
dealership founded in 1939.
in College Station
. Williams was appointed by Governor Perry to the Texas Motor Vehicle Board and by former Lieutenant Governor
Bill Ratliff
to the Special Committee on State Employee Compensation and Benefits.
of Laredo
(January – October 2001), Gwyn Clarkston Shea
(2002–2003), a former member of the Texas House of Representatives
from Irving
in Dallas County
, Geoff Connor
(2003–2004), a native of Runnels County in central Texas, and the current secretary of state, Hope Andrade of San Antonio
.
As secretary of state, Williams served as Chief Elections Officer for Texas, assisted county election officials and ensured the uniform application and interpretation of election laws through the state. He oversaw the state’s efforts to comply with the federal Help America Vote Act
.
Williams worked to promote economic development, investment, and job creation in Texas. He was also Perry's chief liaison to Mexico
and the Border Region of Texas. In this capacity, he worked with Mexican federal, state, and local officials on common issues.
As the overseer and director of Texas elections, Williams's office was in the spotlight during the 2006 Texas governor's race
. Independent candidate Richard Friedman
(commonly known as "Kinky") successfully lobbied to have the name "Kinky" placed on the election ballot. Another Independent candidate, Carole K. Strayhorn, sought to have the name "Grandma" placed on the ballot next to her name. (Strayhorn's campaign slogan was "one tough grandma".) Strayhorn's request was denied. Friedman and Strayhorn finished third and fourth, respectively, in the election, behind Democrat Chris Bell
and the winner, incumbent Republican Perry.
Williams announced on June 11, 2007, that he would leave the appointed position to "pursue other opportunities".
Victory 2008 Coordinated Campaign, which assists candidates up and down the general election
ballot. Republicans again won all statewide office in 2008 and gained a seat in the United States House of Representatives
but lost four seats in the Texas House of Representatives
and county offices in populous Harris County
.
seat held by fellow Republican Kay Bailey Hutchison
of Dallas
, who had formed her own committee to consider a 2010 race for governor of Texas
. Williams also considered a run for Senate in 2012.
.
, the seat of Parker County
west of Fort Worth, and have two daughters who were attending TCU in 2007. He owns an automobile
dealership in Weatherford.
He goes to University Christian Church in Fort Worth TX.
Secretary of State of Texas
The Secretary of State of Texas is one of six state officials designated by the Texas Constitution to form the executive department of that U.S. state...
, having served from November 2004 until his resignation effective July 1, 2007.
Early life and career
Williams was raised in Fort WorthFort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
. He was a star baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player for Texas Christian University
Texas Christian University
Texas Christian University is a private, coeducational university located in Fort Worth, Texas, United States and founded in 1873. TCU is affiliated with, but not governed by, the Disciples of Christ...
(TCU) from 1968–1971 and attempted to play professionally with the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
farm team. He returned to Texas to coach TCU's baseball team before he embarked on a career in business
Business
A business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit...
and public affairs. Williams joined his father in a family automobile
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
dealership founded in 1939.
Political career
Williams is a trustee of TCU and the George Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M UniversityTexas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
in College Station
College Station, Texas
College Station is a city in Brazos County, Texas, situated in East Central Texas in the heart of the Brazos Valley. The city is located within the most populated region of Texas, near three of the 10 largest cities in the United States - Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio...
. Williams was appointed by Governor Perry to the Texas Motor Vehicle Board and by former Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant governor
A lieutenant governor or lieutenant-governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction, but is often the deputy or lieutenant to or ranking under a governor — a "second-in-command"...
Bill Ratliff
Bill Ratliff
William Roark Ratliff, known as Bill Ratliff , is a Texas politician who served as a member of the Texas State Senate from 1988 to 2004. Between 2000 and 2003 he served as Lieutenant Governor of Texas, after former lieutenant governor Rick Perry succeeded to the governorship to replace George W...
to the Special Committee on State Employee Compensation and Benefits.
Secretary of State of Texas
Williams was the fourth secretary of state to have served under appointment from Perry. The others were now U.S. Representative Henry CuellarHenry Cuellar
Henry Roberto Cuellar is the U.S Representative for , serving since 2005. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district extends from the Rio Grande to the suburbs of San Antonio, including Guadalupe County and nearby Wilson County.Outside of politics, he has served as a professor at the...
of Laredo
Laredo, Texas
Laredo is the county seat of Webb County, Texas, United States, located on the north bank of the Rio Grande in South Texas, across from Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico. According to the 2010 census, the city population was 236,091 making it the 3rd largest on the United States-Mexican border,...
(January – October 2001), Gwyn Clarkston Shea
Gwyn Shea
Gwyn Clarkston Shea is a former Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives from suburban Irving in Dallas County, Texas, who served from 1983-1993...
(2002–2003), a former member of the Texas House of Representatives
Texas House of Representatives
The Texas House of Representatives is the lower house of the Texas Legislature. The House is composed of 150 members elected from single-member districts across the state. The average district has about 150,000 people. Representatives are elected to two-year terms with no term limits...
from Irving
Irving, Texas
Irving is a city located in the U.S. state of Texas within Dallas County. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city population was 216,290. Irving is within the Dallas–Plano–Irving metropolitan division of the Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metropolitan area, designated...
in Dallas County
Dallas County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,218,899 people, 807,621 households, and 533,837 families residing in the county. The population density was 2,523 people per square mile . There were 854,119 housing units at an average density of 971/sq mi...
, Geoff Connor
Geoff Connor
Geoffrey Scott Connor is an American politician, attorney, and entrepreneur from the state of Texas. Connor has been an aide or appointee of several Republican Governors of Texas, including William P. Clements, Jr., George W. Bush, and Rick Perry. Most notably, Connor served as the 104th...
(2003–2004), a native of Runnels County in central Texas, and the current secretary of state, Hope Andrade of San Antonio
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
.
As secretary of state, Williams served as Chief Elections Officer for Texas, assisted county election officials and ensured the uniform application and interpretation of election laws through the state. He oversaw the state’s efforts to comply with the federal Help America Vote Act
Help America Vote Act
The Help America Vote Act , or HAVA, is a United States federal law which passed in the House 357-48 and 92-2 in the Senate and was signed into law by President Bush on October 29, 2002. Drafted in reaction to the controversy surrounding the 2000 U.S...
.
Williams worked to promote economic development, investment, and job creation in Texas. He was also Perry's chief liaison to Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and the Border Region of Texas. In this capacity, he worked with Mexican federal, state, and local officials on common issues.
As the overseer and director of Texas elections, Williams's office was in the spotlight during the 2006 Texas governor's race
Texas gubernatorial election, 2006
The 2006 Texas gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 2006 to select the next governor of the state of Texas, who is serving a four year term that began on January 16, 2007. The Republican and Democratic Parties chose their candidates by primaries and convention. Primaries were held on...
. Independent candidate Richard Friedman
Kinky Friedman
Richard S. "Kinky" Friedman is an American Texas Country singer, songwriter, novelist, humorist, politician and former columnist for Texas Monthly who styles himself in the mold of popular American satirists Will Rogers and Mark Twain. He was one of two independent candidates in the 2006 election...
(commonly known as "Kinky") successfully lobbied to have the name "Kinky" placed on the election ballot. Another Independent candidate, Carole K. Strayhorn, sought to have the name "Grandma" placed on the ballot next to her name. (Strayhorn's campaign slogan was "one tough grandma".) Strayhorn's request was denied. Friedman and Strayhorn finished third and fourth, respectively, in the election, behind Democrat Chris Bell
Chris Bell (politician)
Robert Christopher "Chris" Bell is a Democratic Party politician. He last served as a one-term congressman in the United States House of Representatives from Texas's 25th congressional district in Houston from 2003 to 2005 before being defeated in the Democratic primary by Justice of the Peace Al...
and the winner, incumbent Republican Perry.
Williams announced on June 11, 2007, that he would leave the appointed position to "pursue other opportunities".
State party chairman
On July 16, 2007, Williams was named chairman of the Texas RepublicanRepublican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Victory 2008 Coordinated Campaign, which assists candidates up and down the general election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
ballot. Republicans again won all statewide office in 2008 and gained a seat in the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
but lost four seats in the Texas House of Representatives
Texas House of Representatives
The Texas House of Representatives is the lower house of the Texas Legislature. The House is composed of 150 members elected from single-member districts across the state. The average district has about 150,000 people. Representatives are elected to two-year terms with no term limits...
and county offices in populous Harris County
Harris County, Texas
As of the 2010 Census, the population of the county was 4,092,459, White Americans made up 56.6% of Harris County's population; non-Hispanic whites represented 33.0% of the population. Black Americans made up 18.9% of the population. Native Americans made up 0.7% of Harris County's population...
.
U.S. Senate campaigns
Late in 2008, Williams formed an exploratory committee to consider a run for the United States SenateUnited States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
seat held by fellow Republican Kay Bailey Hutchison
Kay Bailey Hutchison
Kathryn Ann Bailey Hutchison, known as Kay Bailey Hutchison , is the senior United States Senator from Texas.She is a member of the Republican Party. In 2001, she was named one of the thirty most powerful women in America by Ladies Home Journal. The first woman to represent Texas in the U.S....
of Dallas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
, who had formed her own committee to consider a 2010 race for governor of Texas
Governor of Texas
The governor of Texas is the head of the executive branch of Texas's government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor has the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Texas Legislature, and to convene the legislature...
. Williams also considered a run for Senate in 2012.
2012 U.S. House campaign
In June 2011, Williams announced that he was dropping his Senate bid and would instead run for Congress from Texas's newly-created 33rd DistrictTexas's 33rd congressional district
Texas's 33rd Congressional District is a new district that will be created as a result of the 2010 Census. The first candidates will run in the 2012 House elections, and be seated for the 113th United States Congress, which convenes in 2013.`...
.
Personal life
Williams and his wife, Patty, live in WeatherfordWeatherford, Texas
Weatherford is a city in Parker County, Texas, United States, and a western suburb of Fort Worth. The population was 19,000 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Parker County and is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.-Geography:...
, the seat of Parker County
Parker County, Texas
As of the census of 2003, there were 98,495 people, 31,131 households, and 24,313 families residing in the county. The population density was 98 people per square mile . There were 34,084 housing units at an average density of 38 per square mile...
west of Fort Worth, and have two daughters who were attending TCU in 2007. He owns an automobile
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
dealership in Weatherford.
He goes to University Christian Church in Fort Worth TX.