The Tennessee Republican Party State Executive Committee, still stinging over the unanticipated election defeat of Rep. Jason Mumpower as the next Speaker of the House, voted to eject Williams as a bona fide member of the Tennessee Republican Party.

[2] In response, Speaker Williams then chose "Carter County Republican" as his new party designation and was later reelected to a third term in the Tennessee House of Representatives by Carter County voters over the Republican Party primary winner.

His family lived in Dale Hollow in the Sadie section of Stoney Creek, at the foot of Holston Mountain.

[5][6] He was previously a vice president of Steak Houses of Homestead Inc. and Family Steak Houses of Miami Inc.[5] Early in his career he worked for the Tennessee Department of Transportation, but because he had been hired during a Republican administration, he lost that job in 1975 after Democrat Ray Blanton became governor.

He challenged incumbent Republican Jerome Cochran of Tennessee's 4th house district.

[10] In November, he won re-election to a second term, defeating Independent candidate Priscilla Steele 83%-17%.

In November, he defeated Republican nominee Jerome Cochran, in the second rematch, 57%-43% (no Democrat filed to run here).

[14] Williams was elected as speaker of the Tennessee House on January 13, 2009, in a surprising divergence from the Republican party's accepted plan for succession.

Williams said he had no intention of joining the Democratic Party of Tennessee,[20] but continues to personally consider himself a Republican.