Joseph Williams, Nashville attorney and Tennessee native, has filed to run in the Republican Primary for TN House District 56, the seat of House Speaker Beth Harwell, who is now running for governor.
District 56 represents part of Davidson County, including the neighborhoods of Crieve Hall, Green Hills, Belle Meade, Oak Hill & Forrest Hills. Beth Halteman Harwell has represented the district since 1988.
Mr. Williams is the co-founder of The Peacefield Group, a legal and policy consulting firm in Nashville. Prior to founding The Peacefield Group, he practiced law at the American Center for Law & Justice, advising national and international clients. His practice focuses on upholding the Constitution and keeping all levels of government accountable to the people. He has written extensively on issues of educational equity and on the dignity and rights of people with developmental disabilities, drawing poignant insights from the life of his sister, Mary.
Mr. Williams said, “From my time teaching history and civics in Nashville, I know I can make a difference. From my work as a small business owner, I know things are more complicated than they need to be. Raising our two boys with my wife Palmer, I know that we want to be a part of building a better tomorrow for them -- and for every Tennessean -- that’s why I’m running to serve.”
Before beginning his legal career, Mr. Williams was a high school U.S. history and civics teacher at Whites Creek High School in Nashville. He is a graduate of Vanderbilt Law School and Vanderbilt University, where he graduated with a B.A. in economics and political science.
He and his wife, Palmer, live with their two young sons in Crieve Hall. They teach Sunday School at Redemption City Church, where he serves as an elder.
Mr. Williams has named Hunter Sinclair, a native of District 56 and vice president at a Nashville-based healthcare consulting practice, as his campaign treasurer. Mary-Kate Brown, a veteran of several winning TN-House campaigns and statewide organizer for Republican presidential candidates, will serve as a senior advisor to the campaign.
The campaign will host an official announcement in the coming weeks. More information can be found at WilliamsForTN.com.