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| Affiliation | Republican |
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| Name | W. Walter Williams |
| Address |
Seattle, Washington , United States |
| Email | None |
| Website | None |
| Born |
00, 1894
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| Died | December 19, 1983
(89 years)
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| Contributor | Wishful Thinking |
| Last Modifed | Ralphie
Jan 23, 2007 10:34pm |
| Tags |
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| Info | W. Walter Williams led the Seattle-based Continental Mortgage for nearly half a century, guiding the business from modest beginnings in the University District to its ranking as one of the top mortgage banking firms in the state of Washington. Williams combined a keen business sense with a lifelong commitment to public service, through both his involvement in various community organizations and Republican politics.
Williams jumped into the 1950 Senate race, beating four other Republican challengers in the primary (including Albert F. Canwell, famous for investigating un-American activities in Washington state), each battling for the opportunity to take on incumbent Warren Magnuson.
It was Magnuson’s first campaign since becoming Washington’s junior Senator in 1944, and Williams gave him a fight. The Korean War had just started, for one, and Williams -- campaigning as a liberal Republican -- railed against what he saw as a “socialistic” trend in Truman Administration’s policies. Yet despite being a Republican year in 1950, not to mention waging a strong campaign, Williams still lost to Maggie by 55,000 votes.
It was a temporary setback for his political ambitions. Williams became chairman of the Washington State Republican Party shortly after his election loss, and in 1952 broke with many GOP stalwarts by openly supporting the presidential nomination of General Dwight Eisenhower over Senator Robert Taft. Williams was instrumental in wooing Ike into the Republican fold -- he served as the national co-chair of the “draft Eisenhower” campaign, and was one of several leading Republicans who visited the General in Paris to help persuade Eisenhower to run.
The early support of Eisenhower paid off: Not only did Ike run and win in 1952, but then he tapped W. Walter Williams for Undersecretary of Commerce shortly after the election. Thus Williams took a leave of absence with Continental in January 1953 and found himself leaving one Washington behind for the other.
W. Walter Williams stayed a trusted member of the Eisenhower administration until 1958, when he resigned from the Commerce Department and returned to Seattle. In responding to Williams’ formal resignation, President Eisenhower noted “the fine contributions you have made both the administration and to the [Commerce] department.”
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