A former illegal immigrant turned American citizen who supports President Donald Trump announced Monday she is running for Michigan’s 11th Congressional District seat. Whittney Williams is the first GOP member to join the Republican primary hoping to take on incumbent Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI-11).
She will try to regain Michigan’s 11th District for the GOP after Stevens flipped the seat with her victory in 2018 after Republican David Trott retired. Williams is using her unique story as a way to win back a district Republicans lost by less than 30,000 votes.
Currently serving as Michigan’s 11th District Republican Committee Director of Diversity, Williams said she came to America as a 10-year-old from Taiwan without knowing any English and lived the next 16 years in the shadows as an illegal immigrant when her parents overstayed their visas. Williams became a U.S. citizen after getting married in 2013, according to MLive.com.
The 37-year-old Taiwanese immigrant, who has no previous political experience, is a strong supporter of Trump and what he has done so far as president.
“With record employment and the best economy in the country’s history, the current administration is making possible for more Americans than ever to achieve the American dream,” she said in her announcement video. “I want to further this economic success and fight back against the radical left’s socialist agenda.”
As a candidate, Williams touts herself as pro-life and a supporter of building a wall along the Mexican border. She also added that Democrats will have a difficult time of “using their typical playbook” against her.
Williams noted that the proudest day of her life was becoming an American citizen.
“I am running for Congress because I love our country. We all deserve a shot at the American dream,” she said.
Williams has Scott Hagerstrom as a chief strategist for her campaign. Previously, he was the Michigan state director for Trump’s 2016 campaign. Hagerstrom told the Detroit News that Stevens is a “phony moderate.”
Historically, Michigan’s 11th District has been Republican. Only three Democrats have represented this district since 1965.
– – –
Zachery Schmidt is the digital editor of Battleground State News. Follow Zachery on Twitter.
Photo “Whittney Williams” by Whittney Williams.
[…] first-generation Chaldean American will have competition for the Republican nominee. As The Michigan Star previously reported, Trump-supporting Whitney Williams began her candidacy in August. Unlike […]