Nikema Williams | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2021 | |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromGeorgia's5th district | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Kwanza Hall |
| Chair of theGeorgia Democratic Party | |
| In office January 26, 2019 – March 31, 2025 | |
| Preceded by | DuBose Porter |
| Succeeded by | Matthew Wilson (acting) |
| In office June 9, 2013 – August 31, 2013 Acting | |
| Preceded by | Mike Berlon |
| Succeeded by | DuBose Porter |
| Member of theGeorgia State Senate from the 39th district | |
| In office December 5, 2017 – January 3, 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Vincent Fort |
| Succeeded by | Sonya Halpern |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Nikema Natassha Williams (1978-07-30)July 30, 1978 (age 47) Columbus, Georgia, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Leslie Small |
| Children | 1 |
| Relatives | Autherine Lucy (great-aunt) |
| Education | Talladega College (BA) |
| Signature |  |
| Website | |
Nikema Natassha Williams (/nɪˈkiːmə/nih-KEE-mə; born July 30, 1978) is an American politician serving as the representative forGeorgia's 5th congressional district.[1] The district includes almost three-quarters ofAtlanta. She was a member of theGeorgia State Senate for the 39th district from 2017 to 2021, and served as Chair of theDemocratic Party of Georgia from 2019 to 2025. Williams served as one of 16 electors for Georgia in theElectoral College following the2020 United States presidential election.
Williams was born inColumbus, Georgia, and raised inSmiths Station, Alabama.[2] Her grandfather was a neighborhood leader, and her great-auntAutherine Lucyintegrated theUniversity of Alabama.[3] Williams graduated fromTalladega College, where she became a member ofAlpha Kappa Alpha sorority and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology. After graduating from college, she moved toAtlanta in 2002.[2]
After moving to Atlanta, Williams joined the Young Democrats of Georgia.[3] She then served as vice president for public policy atPlanned Parenthood Southeast.[4] In 2018, Williams became the State Director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance.[5]
In 2017, Williams was elected to theGeorgia State Senate, in a special election afterVincent Fort resigned to run in theAtlanta mayoral election. On November 13, 2018, Williams was one of 15 people arrested during a protest at theGeorgia State Capitol against the handling of the2018 Georgia gubernatorial election.[2][6] The charges were dropped in June 2019.[7]
Williams was one of severalGeorgia General Assembly members to test positive forCOVID-19 after being exposed by fellow memberBrandon Beach.[8][9]
In 2011, she was elected as first vice chair of theDemocratic Party of Georgia.[10] She briefly served as the party's interim chair in 2013, afterMike Berlon resigned, and remained as first vice chair underDuBose Porter.[2] Williams supportedBarack Obama's presidential campaigns and served as a member of the Obama Victory Fund in 2012.[11] She was recognized as one of Obama's topbundlers during that campaign cycle, raising over $50,000 for the campaign.[12]
In January 2019, Williams was elected by the DPG State Committee for a full term as Chair, and won re-election in 2023. She became the first Black woman, the third woman, and second African American to chair the party.[2] She was a delegate to the2008,2012 and2016Democratic National Conventions, and presided over early successes infederal elections in 2020.
However, Williams faced widespread criticism, including from SenatorJon Ossoff, who reportedly pressed her to resign after the party's performances in the2022 and2024 Georgia state elections.[13] In response, Williams announced her intent to resign from party leadership, as well as her proposal for Party bylaw amendments to ensure that the next chair would be a full-time, salaried position, which would prohibit Williams from continuing as DPG Chair. On March 31, 2025, two days after the State Committee approved Williams' proposal, Williams resigned as Chair, elevating First Vice ChairMatthew Wilson as interim Chair.[14]
On July 20, 2020, after the death ofJohn Lewis, Williams was selected by the DPG Executive Committee to replace him on the November ballot forGeorgia's 5th congressional district in the2020 election.[15] The 5th is so heavily Democratic that Williams had beenall but assured of a seat in Congress when she was selected to replace Lewis on the ballot.[16][17][18] Georgia GovernorBrian Kemp called aSeptember 2020 special election to fill the remainder of Lewis's 17th term. Williams opted to not run in the special election, choosing instead to focus on her role as party chair.[19] The special election was won by Atlanta city councilmanKwanza Hall, who served for a month before handing the seat to Williams. In the general election, she handily defeatedRepublicanAngela Stanton-King by a 70-point margin.
Williams held her seat in the 2022 elections against Republican Christian Zimm, by a smaller but no less overwhelming 65-point margin.
Williams won reelection in the 2024 elections against Republican John Salvesen by a 71-point margin.[20]
Williams was one of two Democrats in December 2023 along withBobby Scott to vote against the expulsion of now-former New York representativeGeorge Santos.[21]
For the119th Congress:[22]
Williams's husband, Leslie Small, was a former aide to John Lewis.[28] They met while campaigning for Democrats during the2008 elections.[2] They have one son.[3] She is a former member ofUFCW.[citation needed]
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| Party political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Chair of theGeorgia Democratic Party Acting 2013 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Chair of theGeorgia Democratic Party 2019–2025 | Succeeded by Matthew Wilson Acting |
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
| Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromGeorgia's 5th congressional district 2021–present | Incumbent |
| U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial) | ||
| Preceded by | United States representatives by seniority 285th | Succeeded by |
| People | |
|---|---|
| Other | |
