Anthony H. Williams

Anthony Hardy Williams
Member of the Pennsylvania Senate
from the 8th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 5, 1999
Preceded by Hardy Williams
Democratic Whip
of the Pennsylvania Senate
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 25, 2011
Preceded by Mike O'Pake
Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
from the 191st district
In office
January 3, 1989[1] – November 30, 1998[2]
Preceded by Peter Truman
Succeeded by Ronald Waters
Personal details
Born February 28, 1957
Political party Democratic
Spouse(s) Shari
Residence Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Alma mater Franklin and Marshall College
Religion Christian

Anthony Hardy Williams (born February 28, 1957) is a Democratic member of the Pennsylvania State Senate, representing the 8th District since 1998. Prior to entering public service, he worked at PepsiCo as a mid-level executive and later owned a small vending company.

Life and career

Williams is the son of Hardy, a politician, and Carole, an elementary school teacher. He grew up in Philadelphia. He attended Anderson Elementary School (one block from his home, where his mother taught), Mitchell Elementary School, Conwell Middle Magnet School and Westtown School. He then earned a degree in economics from Franklin & Marshall College. [3]

He was sworn in to represent the 191st legislative district in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in 1989.[4] In 1998, Williams' father, Pennsylvania State Senator Hardy Williams, retired hours before the deadline to file nominating petitions, allowing Anthony the opportunity to run unopposed for his father's 8th senatorial district seat.[5] The younger Williams had already filed his nominating petitions to run for his House seat, so he remained on both ballots. He declined to take his House seat when he won both elections simultaneously.[6]

Current committees and assignments

Williams is the Democratic chairman of the State Government Committee in the state Senate and is a member of the Education, Banking and Insurance, Finance, and the Environmental Resources and Energy committees, and the Life Sciences Caucus. He is also a member of the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts and chairs the Black Elected Officials of Philadelphia County, an ad hoc group encompassing federal, state and municipal politicians of color.[7] In January 2011, following the death of Mike O'Pake, Williams was elected Democratic Whip.

In February 2012, Williams voted in favor of House Bill 1950.[8] This bill significantly reduces the rights of municipalities to defend themselves against health risks posed by gas drilling.[9]

Ward leader

Williams is the Ward Leader of the 3rd Ward Democratic Executive Committee.[10] He also chairs the Philadelphia Democratic United Ward Leaders of Color, a group of ward leaders of color who represent various wards within the City of Philadelphia.

Gubernatorial candidacy

On February 23, 2010, Williams declared his candidacy for Governor in the 2010 election.[11] In the May primary, he finished third out of four candidates.

2010 Democratic Gubernatorial Primary results [12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Dan Onorato 452,611 45.1
Democratic Jack Wagner 244,234 24.3
Democratic Anthony Williams 180,932 18.0
Democratic Joe Hoeffel 125,989 12.6
Total votes 1,003,766 97.7

References

  1. ↑ "Session of 1989 - 173D of the General Assembly - No. 1" (PDF). Legislative Journal. Pennsylvania House of Representatives. 1989-01-03.
  2. ↑ Per Article II, Section 2 of the Pennsylvania Constitution, the legislative session ended on November 30, 1998
  3. ↑ http://www.senatoranthonyhwilliams.com/sen-anthony-h-williams/about/biography
  4. ↑ Cox, Harold (November 3, 2004). "Pennsylvania House of Representatives - 1989-1990" (PDF). Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University.
  5. ↑ "PA. LEGISLATIVE SEATS HAVE A WAY OF STAYING IN THE FAMILY \ TWO RETIRING STATE SENATORS ARE LIKELY TO BE SUCCEEDED BY SONS. OPPONENTS MAY BE SORE, BUT IT'S NOT UNUSUAL.". Philadelphia Inquirer. 1998-09-07. Only hours before the spring deadline to file nominating petitions for a fifth term in the state Senate, Philadelphia Democrat Hardy Williams announced that he would not run again. But even at the eleventh hour, one Democrat had no problem coming up with the 500 signatures he needed to become a candidate: Williams' son, State Rep. Anthony Hardy Williams. The younger Williams knew a couple of days ahead of time that his father was thinking of retiring.
  6. ↑ "Session of 1999 - 183D of the General Assembly - No. 1" (PDF). Legislative Journal. Pennsylvania House of Representatives. 1999-01-05.
  7. ↑ http://www.pacouncilonthearts.org/
  8. ↑ http://www.legis.state.pa.us/CFDOCS/Legis/RC/Public/rc_view_action2.cfm?sess_yr=2011&sess_ind=0&rc_body=S&rc_nbr=513
  9. ↑ http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/billinfo.cfm?syear=2011&sind=0&body=H&type=B&bn=1950
  10. ↑ Committee of Seventy (2009-12-21). "2009 Citizen's Guide" (PDF). 2009 Citizen's Guide. The Committee of Seventy, Philadelphia, PA 19103. Retrieved 2009-12-21.
  11. ↑ http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20100223_Sen__Williams_formally_enters_race_for_governor.html
  12. ↑ http://www.politico.com/2010/maps/#/Governor/2010/PA

External links