With 5 Friends & American Majority Training, OK City Council Candidate Wins on Business Friendly Platform

Here at American Majority, we love to report the numbers: over 700 events in four years, 25,000 unique individuals trained, over 2,000 trainees who have become candidates for office, and hundreds of trainees elected.

But there’s the personal side too: the stories of the courageous men and women who take their training, join the fight, and put it to use to defend our liberty. Chad Williams, an American Majority trainee and a member of the Norman, OK City Council, is one of those people.

In a 2009 meeting of the Norman, Oklahoma City Council, Chad Williams sat quietly listening as elected officials discussed the affairs and the future of his city. But he would not be quiet for long.

Chad, an associate pastor and a concerned citizen, began prayerfully considering whether he was called to stand up and get involved. He began making connections with local officials and speaking up at city council meetings. After speaking out against a liberal measure proposed by the city council earlier in 2011, Chad caught the attention of people on both sides of the aisle. After two years of speaking up and standing out, three key conservatives in the city encouraged Chad to run for office.

“I had been waiting for a door to open,” says Chad, “and this was it.”

The City of Norman, home to the University of Oklahoma, is a small college town with room to grow. For Chad Williams, that growth was worth fighting for.

“We need to be more business friendly,” Chad says. “There are a lot of people in Norman that don’t want a whole lot of economic growth, but that’s something I’m very passionate about.”

Chad declared his candidacy for city council in December of 2011, but wasn’t sure where to go from there. “I had no prior experience running for office, with the exception of knocking doors for a few candidates in the past,” He attended an American Majority training in February, and hit the ground running.

“My campaign consisted of four or five friends and family, and American Majority’s training taught me where to send and utilize my volunteers to make them most effective.”

Ultimately, what won the election for Chad was personal contact. “I knocked every voter’s door four or five times. Whenever someone tried to get me on the phone, I said no, and went and knocked doors. I much prefer to talk to people face to face.”

At American Majority, we are strong believers in the power of personal interaction. Chad’s victory speaks volumes about the effectiveness of grassroots outreach.

For Chad, the election was a long haul. “I don’t know if Norman has ever seen a longer city council campaign than mine,” he says. “I declared my candidacy in December, won the first election in April, and then had to do a run-off that lasted until June.”

Chad ran into major opposition from a major liberal coalition in Norman, and he faced personal attacks, harsh criticism, and relentless negative messaging from several liberal outside groups. Ultimately, though, the power of personal contact and a positive message propelled him to victory.

In June of 2012, Chad was elected to the Norman City Council, where he works every day to defend his constituents’ rights, promote economic growth, and represent the his fellow citizens. And this may be only the beginning.

Chad says he has no immediate plans to run for higher office, but he wouldn’t rule him out.

We are proud to give leaders like Chad the skills that enable them to win elections, serve their fellow citizens, and build the conservative farm team for future leadership. Our congratulations and best wishes go out to Chad Williams.