[9] In his announcement speech, he was quoted, "People want someone willing to take a stand for what they believe, someone who will relentlessly pursue fearless conservative reform.

[3] In the end, even as he drew national attention for a "deportation bus tour", he was generally ignored by his GOP rivals.

"[12] Williams, a gun rights advocate, again gained national attention when his campaign held a bump stock giveaway a few weeks after the 2017 Las Vegas shooting.

[13] Williams was quoted saying, "The tragedy in Las Vegas broke my heart, but any talk of banning or regulating bump stocks is merely cheap political lip service from career politicians.

In reality, the bump stock is the new, shiny object politicians are using to deceive voters into believing they are taking action against gun violence," Williams said in a statement on his website.

[14][15] The rally was part of a dozen nationwide protests against Shariah religious law organized by ACT!

[14] During February 2018, Williams generated further controversy for statements made on CNN about Delta Air Lines.

In the aftermath of the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in February 2018, Delta Air Lines severed ties with the National Rifle Association and no longer offered discounts to members of the organization.

[19] The charges are related to a May 2018 incident in which Williams alleged that $300,000 worth of cryptocurrency mining equipment was stolen from his campaign headquarters.

[22][23] On May 29, 2019, despite earlier assertions by his consultant Seth Weathers, calling the investigation a "political witch hunt", Williams pled guilty to making a false report that computer servers were stolen from his campaign office shortly before his last-place primary finish.

[24] He was sentenced to four years of probation, 120 hours of community service and a $5,000 fine under the First Offender Act.