Patrick Williams (Louisiana politician)

Patrick Charles Williams (born November 1963)^[1] is a small businessman from Shreveport, Louisiana, who is an African-American Democratic member of the Louisiana House of Representatives for District 4 in Caddo Parish in the northwestern corner of his state.^[2]

Background

Williams received a Bachelor of Science degree in Architecture from the historically black Southern University in Baton Rouge and a Master of Business Administration degree from the United Methodist-affiliated Centenary College of Shreveport.^[3]

Williams has also resided in Richmond and Reston, Virginia; Los Angeles, California; Swainsboro, Georgia, and Cheyenne, Wyoming, dates unavailable.^[4]

Political life

In 2003, Williams ran unsuccessfully for the state House against fellow African-American Democrat Cedric Glover, who had been first elected in 1995. Glover prevailed in the nonpartisan blanket primary with 5,902 votes (62.3 percent) to Williams's 3,567 (37.7 percent).^[5] After Glover was elected mayor of Shreveport, Williams won the right to succeed him in the special election low-turnout runoff held on March 31, 2007. In this race, Williams, with 2,321 votes (65.7 percent) defeated fellow Democrat Larry Ferdinand, who polled 1,214 votes (34.3 percent).^[6] Seven months later, Williams won his first full term in the state House when he defeated still another Democrat, Billy Wayne, 7,009 (75.2 percent) to 2,311 (24.8 percent).^[7] Williams was unopposed for his second full term in the 2011 primary election.

In 2014, Williams sought to succeed his former intra-party rival, Cedric Glover, who was term-limited as mayor of Shreveport. In the November 4 primary for mayor, Williams finished in third place with 12,880 votes (21.7 percent). Eventual winner Ollie Tyler, a retired African-American educator, led with 26,017 votes (43.7 percent). In second place was an Independent candidate, attorney, Victoria Provenza (born 1960), with 15,155 votes (25.5 percent). Provenza hence edged Williams out of a runoff berth by 2,275 votes.^[8]

Williams is a member of the Louisiana Black Caucus, the Rural Caucus, and the Democratic Caucus. He is vice-chair of the House Ways and Means Committee and serves as well on Health and Welfare, the House Executive Committee, and the Joint Legislative Committee on Capital Outlay.^[3]

In 2014, Representative Williams was rated 44 to 62 percent by the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry and 25 to 50 percent by the National Federation of Independent Business. He scored 50 percent from the conservative Louisiana Family Forum but 100 percent from Right to Life. He supported the requirement that abortion providers maintain hospital admitting privileges near their clinics. He received a 75 percent rating from the Louisiana Association of Educators. He voted to repeal anti-sodomy laws, but the measure failed to pass the entire House.^[9]

In 2013, Williams voted to reduce penalties for possession of marijuana. He voted to repeal mandatory retirement for judges. He opposed lifetime concealed carry gun permits and voted to make information on the permits a matter of public record. In 2012, he opposed the measure to require drug testing for welfare recipients. He supported the ban on use of telephones while driving.^[9]

Williams is eligible to seek a third full term in the House in the upcoming October 2015 primary election.

References