Constance H. Williams - Political Career - State Senator

State Senator

In 2001, longtime Republican incumbent Richard Tilghman resigned from the Pennsylvania State Senate, where he had represented the 17th District for thirty-two years. The district, covering parts of Montgomery and Delaware Counties, is located in the Philadelphia Main Line. Williams subsequently ran in the special election to fill the remainder of Tilghman's term, facing fellow State Representative Lita Indzel Cohen. During the campaign, Williams ran on her moderate reputation and bipartisan record; she even received several Republican endorsements. She eventually defeated Cohen by a margin of 52%-48%.

Williams was sworn in on December 3, 2001. In 2004, she won re-election to a full term after defeating Republican Ted Barry, a Montgomery County assistant district attorney, by 64%-35%. She became known for her work on behalf of children, families, and the environment, and authored a law that allows women to publicly breastfeed their children. During her tenure in the Senate, she served as Senate Democratic Caucus administrator, ranking member of Communications and Technology Committee, co-chair of the Senate Life Sciences and Biotechnology Caucus, and a member of the Governor's Advisory Committee on Minority and Women Business Opportunities.

Williams announced that she would not be a candidate for re-election in 2008. In 2010, Politics Magazine named her one of the most influential Democrats in Pennsylvania, noting the value of receiving her endorsement.