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Nikema Williams

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Nikema Williams
Official portrait, 2021
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Georgia's 5th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 3, 2021
Preceded byKwanza Hall
Chair of the Georgia Democratic Party
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 26, 2019
Preceded byDuBose Porter
Acting
June 9, 2013 – August 31, 2013
Preceded byMike Berlon
Succeeded byDuBose Porter
Member of the Georgia State Senate
from the 39th district
In office
December 5, 2017 – January 3, 2021
Preceded byVincent Fort
Succeeded bySonya Halpern
Personal details
Born
Nikema Natassha Williams

(1978-07-30) July 30, 1978 (age 46)
Columbus, Georgia, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseLeslie Small
Children1
RelativesAutherine Lucy (great-aunt)
Residence(s)Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
EducationTalladega College (BA)
Website
Nikema Williams's voice
Nikema Williams speaks in support of the Economic Development Strategy Act
Recorded March 30, 2022

Nikema Natassha Williams (born July 30, 1978) is an American politician and political executive serving as the representative for Georgia's 5th congressional district and as Chair of the Democratic Party of Georgia.[1] The district includes almost three-quarters of Atlanta. She was a member of the Georgia State Senate for the 39th district from 2017 to 2021. Williams served as one of 16 electors for Georgia in the Electoral College following the 2020 United States presidential election.

Early life and education

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Williams was born in Columbus, Georgia, and raised in Smiths Station, Alabama.[2] Her grandfather was a neighborhood leader, and her great-aunt Autherine Lucy integrated the University of Alabama.[3] Williams graduated from Talladega College, where she became a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology. After graduating from college, she moved to Atlanta in 2002.[2]

Early career

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After moving to Atlanta, Williams joined the Young Democrats of Georgia.[3] She then served as vice president for public policy at Planned Parenthood Southeast.[4] In 2011, she was elected the first vice chair of the Democratic Party of Georgia.[5] She served as the party's interim chair in 2013, after Mike Berlon resigned.[2] In 2018, Williams became the State Director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance.[6]

Williams supported Barack Obama's presidential campaigns and served as a member of the Obama Victory Fund in 2012.[7] She was recognized as one of Obama's top bundlers during that campaign cycle, raising over $50,000 for the campaign.[8]

Georgia State Senate

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In 2017, Williams was elected to the Georgia State Senate, in a special election after Vincent Fort resigned to run in the Atlanta mayoral election. On November 13, 2018, Williams was one of 15 people arrested during a protest at the Georgia State Capitol against the handling of the 2018 Georgia gubernatorial election.[2][9] The charges were dropped in June 2019.[10]

In January 2019, Williams was elected to once again lead the Georgia Democratic Party. She became the first Black woman, the third woman, and second African American to chair the party.[2] She was a delegate to the 2008, 2012 and 2016 Democratic National Conventions. Senator Jon Ossoff reportedly pressed her to resign as Chair of the Georgia Democratic Party following the 2024 Georgia state elections.[11]

Williams was one of several Georgia General Assembly members to test positive for COVID-19 after being exposed by fellow member Brandon Beach.[12][13]

U.S. House of Representatives

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Elections

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2020

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Main article: 2020 United States House of Representatives elections in Georgia § District 5
Williams and the 117th Congress are sworn into the U.S. House of Representatives, 2021

On July 20, 2020, after the death of John Lewis, Williams was selected to replace him on the November ballot for Georgia's 5th congressional district in the 2020 election.[14] The 5th is so heavily Democratic that Williams had been all but assured of a seat in Congress when she was selected to replace Lewis on the ballot.[15][16][17] Georgia Governor Brian Kemp called a September 2020 special election to fill the remainder of Lewis's 17th term. Williams opted to not run in the special election, choosing instead to focus on her role as party chair.[18] The special election was won by Atlanta city councilman Kwanza Hall, who served for a month before handing the seat to Williams. In the general election, she handily defeated Republican Angela Stanton-King by a 70-point margin.

2022

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Main article: 2022 United States House of Representatives elections in Georgia § District 5

Williams held her seat in the 2022 elections against Republican Christian Zimm, by a smaller but no less overwhelming 65-point margin.

Tenure

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Williams introduces a bill to fund endometriosis research, 2024

Williams was among the 46 Democrats who voted against final passage of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 in the House.[19]

Williams was one of two Democrats in December 2023 along with Bobby Scott to vote against the expulsion of now-former New York representative George Santos.[20]

Committee assignments

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For the 118th Congress:[21]

Caucus memberships

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Personal life

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Williams's husband, Leslie Small, was a former aide to John Lewis.[25] They met while campaigning for Democrats during the 2008 elections.[2] They have one son.[3] She is a former member of UFCW.[citation needed]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Hargett-Robinson, Adisa (November 6, 2020). "Nikema Williams wins John Lewis' congressional seat". ABC News.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Prabhu, Maya (January 28, 2019). "Meet Nikema Williams, the newly elected leader of Georgia's Democrats". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
  3. ^ a b c Edwards, Breanna (December 6, 2019). "Georgia State Sen. Nikema Williams On Continuing The Legacy Of The Civil Rights Movement". Essence. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
  4. ^ "NIKEMA WILLIAMS". GeorgiaDemocrat.org. Archived from the original on September 4, 2018. Retrieved November 15, 2018.
  5. ^ "Georgia Democrats elect new leaders". Ledger-Enquirer. Columbus, Georgia. Associated Press. January 30, 2011. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
  6. ^ "LinkedIn: Nikema Williams". February 3, 2022.
  7. ^ "Nikema Williams". Democrats. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
  8. ^ "10 Stars That Have Supported Obama Financially". HuffPost. September 6, 2012. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
  9. ^ Butler, Kiera (November 17, 2018). "Senator, Why Are You Being Arrested?". Mother Jones. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
  10. ^ Prabhu, Maya T. (June 10, 2019). "Cases dismissed against Ga. senator, protesters arrested at Capitol". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
  11. ^ Bluestein, Greg. "U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff is pressuring Nikema Williams to step down as party chair, officials say". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved November 13, 2024.
  12. ^ Staff, WSBTV com News (March 23, 2020). "4th Georgia state senator tests positive for coronavirus". WSBTV.
  13. ^ "UPDATE: Atlanta Senator Tests Positive for Coronavirus". THE PEOPLE'S STATION V103. March 21, 2020. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
  14. ^ Bluestein, Greg (July 20, 2020). "Democrats tap Nikema Williams to replace John Lewis on November ballot". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
  15. ^ "Georgia Election Results: Fifth Congressional District". The New York Times. November 3, 2020. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved November 12, 2020.
  16. ^ "Atlanta lowering flags indefinitely to honor Rep. John Lewis". KSTP. July 18, 2020. Retrieved July 19, 2020.
  17. ^ Panetta, Grace. "Nikema Williams is selected as the Democratic nominee to replace Rep. John Lewis on the ballot for November". Business Insider. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
  18. ^ "Special election to fill the late John Lewis' seat on Capitol Hill is today". 11Alive.com. July 31, 2020.
  19. ^ Gans, Jared (May 31, 2023). "Republicans and Democrats who bucked party leaders by voting no". The Hill. Retrieved June 6, 2023.
  20. ^ Schnell, Mychael (December 1, 2023). "House expels George Santos in historic vote". The Hill. Retrieved December 1, 2023.
  21. ^ "Nikema Williams". Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. Retrieved May 8, 2023.
  22. ^ "Caucus Members". US House of Representatives. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
  23. ^ "New Democrat Coalition Celebrates Addition of New Members Reps. Shontel Brown and Nikema Williams". newdemocratcoalition.house.gov. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
  24. ^ "Membership". Congressional Caucus for the Equal Rights Amendment. Retrieved September 20, 2024.
  25. ^ Bluestein, Greg (July 19, 2020). "As they mourn John Lewis, Ga. Democrats must quickly choose a successor". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Nikema Williams.
Party political offices
Preceded by Chair of the Georgia Democratic Party
Acting
2013 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Chair of the Georgia Democratic Party
2019–present 		Incumbent
Georgia State Senate
Preceded by Member of the Georgia Senate
from the 39th district
2017–2021 		Succeeded by
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Georgia's 5th congressional district
2021–present 		Incumbent
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by United States representatives by seniority
336th 		Succeeded by
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