[5] On October 15, 2015, Williams announced that he would step down as Education Commissioner at the end of the year to return to the private sector.

[6] Williams is also a former member of the elected Texas Railroad Commission, a regulatory body that oversees the oil and natural gas industries.

He is one of six African Americans to hold statewide office such as Louis Sturns, Morris Overstreet, Wallace B. Jefferson, Dale Wainwright and Jesse McClure.

On May 29, 2012, Williams ran unsuccessfully in the Republican primary for the redrawn 25th congressional district seat that stretches southward from Tarrant to Hays counties.

He also served as Special Assistant to Attorney General Richard Thornburgh at the United States Department of Justice from January 1988 to June 1989.

Williams served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Law Enforcement at the United States Department of the Treasury.

Williams was appointed to the Texas Railroad Commission, a regulatory body that oversees the oil and natural gas industries, by then-Governor George W. Bush in 1999; he and won elections in 2000, 2002, and 2008 to retain the office before eventually resigning in 2011.

He is also the fourth African American to be elected to statewide office overall, following Morris Overstreet, Wallace B. Jefferson, and Dale Wainwright.

On September 14, 2005, Texas Governor Rick Perry designated Williams to lead the state's long-term Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.

[10] On October 15, 2015, Williams announced that he would step down as Education Commissioner at the end of the year to return to the private sector.

[13] On, December 16, 2008 Michael Williams announced via Twitter that he would seek a position in the United States Senate, noting the possibility of a special election in 2009 or 2010 to replace sitting U.S.