Cory T. Williams
| Representative Cory T. Williams | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Oklahoma State Representative | |
|
In office 2009 – Present | |
| Preceded by | Terry Ingmire |
| Constituency | 34th House District |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Stillwater, Oklahoma |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Shannon Williams |
| Children | Kase and Canton |
| Residence | Stillwater, Oklahoma |
| Alma mater | Oklahoma State University |
| Occupation | Politician, Attorney |
| Religion | Christian |
Cory T. Williams is an American attorney and Democratic politician from the U.S. state of Oklahoma. He currently serves in the Oklahoma House of Representatives as the District 34 State Representative, the seat formerly held by Terry Ingmire, a Republican. He was first elected to the seat in 2008.
Early life and career
Born and raised in Stillwater Cory graduated in 1996 from Stillwater High School. Cory and his wife, Shannon (Jacobson) first met at Stillwater High and both attended Oklahoma State University, where they were active student leaders. Cory completed his B.S in Political Science with an emphasis in Applied Politics in 2001 and an M.S. in International Trade and Development from the OSU School of International Studies in 2003. While in graduate school Cory was awarded the Boeing Company Fellowship for his overseas work with American Airlines. He completed his law degree from Oklahoma City University School of Law in 2006. Shannon completed her degree in dentistry at the OU Health Sciences Center in 2005.
After completing his law degree, Cory and Shannon decide to return to Stillwater in 2006 to raise their son, Kase.
An active leader in Stillwater’s community, Cory has taken an interest in both the health care and education of local residents. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Stillwater Community Health Center, a non-profit health clinic for the indigent and under-served residents of Stillwater, as well as a trustee for the Stillwater Public Education Foundation, the foundation providing private fundraising for special projects of his local alma mater. Cory is also a member of the Payne County, Oklahoma and American Bar Associations.
Shannon is a local dentist and Cory has been operating his own law firm since relocating.
Political career
Cory Williams entered the race for District 34 State Representative and was lauded for turning over a seat in what was broadly considered a Republican stronghold. Williams narrowly defeated Aaron Carlson by 63 votes.[1]
In a November 5, 2009 story in the Oklahoma State University newspaper, Williams was quoted comparing his campaign to Obama’s. “My campaign had a positive message and focused on a ‘we can do this’ attitude.” [2] Williams campaigned on education and increased funding for oversight of the state Department of Human Services.
In his re-election bid in 2010 he was attacked for his vote against State Question 755 which banned the use of Sharia Law and international law in court decisions. His opponent sent mail pieces attacking him by having William's picture beside a shadowy figure with Arab appeal.[3] He won by 280 votes.
In 2012, Williams introduced HB 3100 to the Oklahoma State House of Representatives, a bill which would require establishments to prohibit the sale of alcohol to all citizens on their 21st birthday. The bill would force these citizens to wait to buy any alcohol until 7:30am the day after their 21st birthday.
Organizations
- American Bar Association
- Oklahoma Bar Association
- Payne County Bar Association
- Stillwater Community Health Care Center Board of Directors
- Stillwater Public Education Foundation, Trustee
District
House District 34 stretches from Brush Creek Road to Sangre Road and from Yost Road to 32nd Avenue in Stillwater.[4]
Election Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Cory T. Williams | 4,890 | 51.47 | |
| Republican | Ryan Smith | 4,610 | 48.53 | |