Dave Williams (Colorado politician)

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Dave Williams
Chair of the Colorado Republican Party
Assumed office
March 11, 2023
Preceded byKristi Burton Brown
Member of the Colorado House of Representatives
from the 15th district
In office
January 11, 2017 – January 9, 2023
Preceded byGordon Klingenschmitt
Succeeded byScott Bottoms
Personal details
Born
David Alan Williams[1]

(1986-07-20) July 20, 1986 (age 37)
Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
EducationUniversity of Colorado, Colorado Springs (BA)
WebsiteCampaign website

David Alan Williams (born July 20, 1986)[2] is an American politician from Colorado Springs, Colorado who has served as Chair of the Colorado Republican Party since 2023, having previously represented Colorado House of Representatives District 15 from 2017 to 2023, which encompassed Colorado Springs and Cimarron Hills in El Paso County. Williams is a candidate for Colorado's 5th congressional district in the 2024 elections, running to replace the retiring Doug Lamborn.[3] Colorado media sources have called him a far-right politician.[4][5][6][7]

Career[edit]

Between 2008 and 2020 Williams was a vice president of logistics for MKW Global, a family business.[8][9]

Williams was first elected to the State House in 2016 after winning 67.84% of the vote.[10]

Williams was the first Latino elected to House District 15.[11] His mother's maiden name is "Sanchez" and their family has roots going back to Mexico and Southern California.[12]

A supporter of Donald Trump, Williams has questioned the results of the 2020 presidential election and has promoted false claims of voter fraud.[13][14][15]

On December 7, 2020, Williams and seven other Republicans requested to the Speaker of the House KC Becker that a committee be formed on "election integrity" to conduct an audit of the Dominion Voting Systems used in Colorado's 2020 elections in spite of no evidence of issues. The request was rejected, with Becker criticizing it as a promotion of "debunked conspiracy theories."[16]

In July 2021, Williams and Ron Hanks held a town hall at Colorado Springs in which both made multiple false claims of election fraud. Williams claimed that 5,600 dead people voted in the 2020 Colorado elections and that fraud played a role in Democrat John Hickenlooper's victory against Republican Cory Gardner.[14]

In December 2021, Williams announced his campaign bid aimed at challenging Rep. Doug Lamborn.[17] He attempted to get listed on the ballot as Dave "Let's Go Brandon" Williams, but this was rejected by Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold.[18] In the 2022 Republican primary election for Colorado's 5th congressional district, incumbent representative Doug Lamborn defeated Williams and two other Republican Party challengers.[19]

During the 2022 legislative session, Williams and the majority of Republicans rejected a resolution passed by the state house meant to urge congress to pass voting right legislation. Williams proposed two failed amendments to the resolution which included calling for an audit of the 2020 election, thanking the pro-Trump rioters that stormed the Capitol and decertifying the election results in favor for Trump.[20]

On March 11, 2023, Williams was elected chair of the Colorado Republican Party for a two-year term.[21] Williams' position as chairman of the party has been controversial among several other Republicans.[22][23] Under his leadership, the party has faced a significant loss of funding, and an increase in infighting.[24][25][26]

On January 8, 2024, Williams announced that he was again running for Colorado's 5th congressional district in the 2024 elections, running for the seat of retiring congressman Doug Lamborn.[3] In March 2024, he was criticized by campaign opponents for MKW Global's importation of Chinese products during his tenure as vice president.[8]

On April 6, 2024, at a state GOP assembly in Pueblo, Colorado Williams demanded that a reporter with the Colorado Sun, Sandra Fish, be removed from the assembly due to her “current reporting to be very unfair.” Fish, who had received valid press credentials for entry initially refused, but was later escorted out by a law enforcement officer, who told her, “You have to be invited here. They don’t want you here. We have to get you out of here,” according to video of the scene taken by other journalists. [27]

Colorado Politician Accountability Act[edit]

During the first year of his first term (2017), Williams introduced a bill (HB17-1134) titled the "Colorado Politician Accountability Act". The bill was designed to crack down on sanctuary cities by allowing public officials of sanctuary cities who had not sought to overturn the local sanctuary law to be sued by citizens if an illegal alien committed a crime, and also by making elected officials of sanctuary jurisdictions liable to penalties for "rendering assistance to an illegal alien".[28][29][30] The bill was defeated in the House but Williams and two Senate co-sponsors reintroduced it with few changes in 2018 as HB18-1178.[31][32]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Fish, Sandra (2023-03-11). "Dave Williams elected to lead battered Colorado GOP for next two years". The Colorado Sun. Retrieved 2024-03-29.
  2. ^ Richardson, Valerie (April 18, 2022). "Colorado Republican sues to have 'Let's Go Brandon' included on ballot". The Washington Times. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
  3. ^ a b Paul, Jesse (January 8, 2024). "Dave Williams, chairman of Colorado GOP, announces bid to replace Doug Lamborn in Congress". The Colorado Sun. Retrieved January 8, 2024.
  4. ^ Frank, John (2022-06-29). "What Tuesday's primary election tells us about Colorado politics in 2022". Axios. Retrieved 2022-11-24.
  5. ^ Woodruff, Chase (October 17, 2022). "Trump blasts 'RINO' Senate candidate Joe O'Dea as Colorado ballots go out". Colorado Newsline. Retrieved 2022-11-24.
  6. ^ "Far-right challengers gaining ground ahead of GOP primary". KUSA.com. April 8, 2022. Retrieved 2022-11-24.
  7. ^ "Colorado GOP selects combative, election-denying new leader - CBS Colorado". www.cbsnews.com. 2023-03-12. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
  8. ^ a b Boyd, Shaun (2024-03-19). "Trade data reveals Colorado GOP Chair Dave Williams' business dealings with the Chinese - CBS Colorado". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 2024-03-29.
  9. ^ Williams, Dave. Meet Dave. Viewed: 2017-01-18.
  10. ^ "Official Certified Results November 8, 2016 General Election: State Representative - District 15". Secretary of State of Colorado. Retrieved 2018-06-10.
  11. ^ "Rep. Dave Williams". www.cohousegop.com. Retrieved 2018-06-02.
  12. ^ "Peter Boyles Show - Feb 3, 2017 - Hr 3". PodBean Development. Retrieved 2018-06-02.
  13. ^ Burness, Alex (2021-08-17). "Colorado's far-right pushes to close primaries, which would exclude millions of voters". The Denver Post. Archived from the original on 2021-08-17. Retrieved 2021-08-21.
  14. ^ a b Beedle, Heidi (5 August 2021). "El Paso County Republicans embrace the Big Lie". Colorado Springs Indy. Archived from the original on 2021-08-04. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  15. ^ O'Rourke, James (2022-01-31). "CO Springs Congressional Candidate Doubles Down on the 'Big Lie'". Colorado Times Recorder. Archived from the original on 2022-02-02. Retrieved 2022-02-15.
  16. ^ Hindi, Saja (2020-12-08). "GOP demand for probe of Colorado's Dominion voting system part of "debunked conspiracy theories," House speaker says". The Denver Post. Archived from the original on 2020-12-08. Retrieved 2022-01-07.
  17. ^ Paul, Jesse; Fish, Sandra (2021-12-14). "State Rep. Dave Williams launches primary challenge to Republican Congressman Doug Lamborn". The Colorado Sun. Archived from the original on 2021-12-14. Retrieved 2021-12-17.
  18. ^ Coltrain, Nick (April 27, 2022). ""Let's Go Brandon" can't be Colorado congressional candidates nickname on ballot, judge says". The Denver Post.
  19. ^ "Primary election results, June 28, 2022" (PDF). Colorado Secretary of State. July 5, 2022. p. 24. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
  20. ^ "Majority of Colorado House Republicans vote for supporting Jan. 6 crowd, election conspiracy theories". Denver 7 Colorado News (KMGH). 2022-01-18. Retrieved 2023-07-24.
  21. ^ Birkeland, Bente (March 11, 2023). "Colorado Republicans pick former state Rep. Dave Williams to lead party". CPR News. Colorado. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
  22. ^ Soicher, Spencer (2023-06-16). "'Stick to the role, Dave': Colorado Republicans question actions of new state party chair". KRDO. Retrieved 2023-07-24.
  23. ^ Fish, Jesse Paul, Sandra (2023-03-16). "Dave Williams' election as Colorado GOP chair has set off some Republican alarm bells. He says people should "relax."". The Colorado Sun. Retrieved 2023-07-24.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  24. ^ Kim, Bente Birkeland,Caitlyn. "In rare move, Colorado GOP goes after Republican Congressman". Colorado Public Radio. Retrieved 2023-07-24.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  25. ^ "Colorado Republican party sees cashflow, spending plummet with election losses and leadership change". The Denver Post. 2023-06-21. Retrieved 2023-07-24.
  26. ^ Frank, John (26 June 2023). "Colorado GOP Marred by Infighting Under New Leader Dave Williams". Axios Denver.
  27. ^ Brown, Jennifer (6 April 2024). "Colorado Sun politics reporter kicked out of GOP state assembly".
  28. ^ Leyte, Ximena (February 16, 2017). "Immigration policies spark debate between Colorado state representatives". Boulder Weekly.
  29. ^ Eason, Brian (January 30, 2017). "Colorado lawmaker wants to let victims of crimes committed by immigrants sue politicians in 'sanctuary cities'". The Denver Post (subscription required).
  30. ^ "Hold Colorado Government Accountable Sanctuary Jurisdictions". Colorado General Assembly. Retrieved 2018-06-02.
  31. ^ Paul, Jesse (March 13, 2018). "Colorado's 'sanctuary city' officials would face lawsuits, felony charge in return of GOP lawmakers' longshot measure". The Denver Post (subscription required).
  32. ^ "Hold Colorado Governments Accountable Sanctuary Jurisdictions". Colorado General Assembly. Retrieved 2018-06-10.

External links[edit]

Party political offices
Preceded by Chair of the Colorado Republican Party
2023–present 		Incumbent
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