2026 Pennsylvania General Election 

Craig Williams

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Rep. Williams received a Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy from Duke University, a Juris Doctor from the University of Florida College of Law and a Master of Laws in Jurisprudence Virtue Ethics and Criminal Law from the Columbia University School of Law. He currently resides in Concord Township with his wife, Jennifer, and their four children.

About Craig

Deeply involved in his community, Rep. Williams serves on the Philadelphia board of the American Cancer Society, is a dedicated fundraiser for Real Men Wear Pink campaign to fight breast cancer, is a coach for Brandywine Youth Club football and baseball, and works with the Boy Scouts of America. He volunteers his legal services for Wills for Heroes and the Homeless Advocacy Project.

Craig Williams earned a bachelor's degree in public policy from Duke University, a law degree from the University of Florida College of Law, and a master's degree in jurisprudence, virtue ethics, and criminal law from Columbia University School of Law. He lives with his wife, Jennifer, and their four children. He provides volunteer legal services for Wills for Heroes and the Homeless Advocacy Project.

In 2008, Williams unsuccessfully ran for Congress against former U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak. From 2009 to 2020, Williams worked as assistant general counsel for PECO. He was elected to the state legislature in 2020.

Election 2026 Pennsylvania 160th District Voter Guide

Rep. Williams attended law school while in the Marines and became the chief prosecutor for the largest base in the Marine Corps. He also served as Deputy Legal Counsel to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff with an emphasis on ethics and detainee issues in federal court. He later served as a federal prosecutor with the Department of Justice, prosecuting a host of crimes. He was also a prosecutor for the Joint Terrorism Task Force.

Rep. Craig Williams is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps, having retired as a Colonel after 28 years of service. He flew 56 combat missions in the F/A-18D during the Gulf War, flying at low altitude as a Forward Air Controller (Airborne) just as his father did in Vietnam. In his career, he was personally decorated 11 times, including twice for acts of Valor in combat.

Craig Williams previously worked as assistant general counsel for PECO. He served as a federal prosecutor with the U.S. Department of Justice and as a prosecutor for the Joint Terrorism Task Force. He retired as a colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps after 28 years of service, including as deputy legal counsel to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

PA election 2026: Voter guide for 160th House District - WHYY

WILLIAMS, Wendell Craig, a Representative from Chester and Delaware Counties; born, November 7, 1965 in Selma, Dallas County, Al.; graduated, Bartlet High School (Ak.), 1983; B.A., public policy, Duke University, 1987; J.D., Levin College of Law, University of Florida, 1997; LL.M., jurisprudence virtue ethics and criminal law, Columbia University School of Law, 2001; colonel, United States Marines (28 years, Persian Gulf War); lawyer; deputy legal counsel to the chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff; federal prosecutor, United States Department of Justice; prosecutor, Joint Terrorism Task Force, United States Department of Justice; unsuccessful campaign, United States Congress (2008); elected as a Republican to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for the 2021, 2023 and 2025 terms.

Official Website - PA House Archives Official Website

In 2024, Williams lost to Dave Sunday in the Republican primary to become Pennsylvania’s attorney general. He currently resides in Concord Township. His campaign did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

Craig currently serves in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and was elected to the 2021, 2023, and 2025 terms. He previously ran unsuccessfully for U.S. Congress in 2008 and lost the 2024 Republican primary for Pennsylvania attorney general.

Rep. Craig Williams (R-Delaware/Chester) vigorously argued on the House floor to pass the largest tax cut in the history of the Commonwealth. Previously, the House passed an amendment which converted a bill to overhaul utility return on equity (ROE) into a tax-cut bill, eliminating the Pennsylvania's Gross Receipts Tax (GRT) from consumer utility bills. Elimination of the GRT would mean an immediate 6.5% cut in electricity bills for every Pennsylvania ratepayer. "Elimination of the GRT is a two-fold win for ratepayers and taxpayers. First, electricity customers get immediate relief from their bills. Second, the state budget must be cut, meaning relief for taxpayers. What was once a terrible utility ROE bill became the biggest tax win for my constituents in the history of our Commonwealth."

Williams Fights for and Advances Largest Tax Cut in Pennsylvania History

Supports eliminating the Gross Receipts Tax from consumer utility bills to reduce electricity bills and state spending.

- Supports eliminating the Gross Receipts Tax from consumer utility bills to reduce electricity bills and state spending.

Economy

HARRISBURG – Rep. Craig Williams (R-Delaware/Chester) announced today he has filed both an amendment to the state budget and a free-standing bill to create the Hospital Acquisition Assistance Fund. The initiative would provide $200 million to support the purchase and reopening of hospitals that have closed in the wake of failed private equity takeovers, most notably Crozer-Chester Medical Center in Delaware County. “This is about moving from oversight to action,” said Williams. “We passed legislation earlier this month to give the Attorney General review authority over future private equity acquisitions, but that will not reopen Crozer or restore emergency care access for the families in my district. This proposal is about reopening the doors and helping the community recover.”

Williams Files Amendment and Legislation to Create $200 Million Hospital Acquisition Fund

Proposes a $200 million Hospital Acquisition Assistance Fund to help purchase and reopen hospitals closed after private equity takeovers.

- Proposes a $200 million Hospital Acquisition Assistance Fund to help purchase and reopen hospitals closed after private equity takeovers.

Healthcare

As of October 16, 2026, Craig Williams’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Education

HARRISBURG – Rep. Craig Williams (R-Delaware/Chester) has introduced House Bill 2372, the Pennsylvania Ratepayer Protection Act, to address rising electricity costs and prepare the Commonwealth for increasing energy demand. “Pennsylvania produces enormous amounts of electricity, but our residents are competing with hyper-scale data companies for that power,” said Williams. “House Bill 2372 protects ratepayers by requiring those companies to bear the full cost of the infrastructure and generation they require. That will provide immediate relief to Pennsylvania ratepayers.” The legislation requires hyperscale data centers to pay all costs associated with connecting to the electric grid and to provide their own baseload electricity generation built in Pennsylvania.

Williams Introduces Electricity Ratepayer Protection Act

House Bill 2372 expands the use of long-term power purchase agreements by utilities with Pennsylvania generators, subject to approval by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission based on public interest and least-cost standards. These agreements allow ratepayers to secure electricity supply in advance instead of competing for dwindling power supply. This approach helps stabilize prices and reduces exposure to market spikes. “Pennsylvania sits on the doorstep of producing the electricity our region needs, yet our residents are paying higher prices because we are not building enough supply,” said Williams. “If large data centers want that power, they should build it and pay for it. This bill puts ratepayers first and gets us back to doing what Pennsylvania does best, producing energy.”

Introduced House Bill 2372 to require hyperscale data centers to pay the costs of their grid connections and electricity generation.

Introduced House Bill 2372 to expand long-term agreements for utilities to purchase power from Pennsylvania generators, subject to Public Utility Commission approval.

- Introduced House Bill 2372 to require hyperscale data centers to pay the costs of their grid connections and electricity generation.
- Introduced House Bill 2372 to expand long-term agreements for utilities to purchase power from Pennsylvania generators, subject to Public Utility Commission approval.

Energy & the Environment

Rep. Craig Williams (R-Delaware/Chester) voted against House Bill 1042 Thursday, saying House Democrats intentionally prevented the General Assembly from enacting a constitutional sentencing law before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s deadline, opening the door for more than 1,100 convicted felony murderers serving life without parole to seek resentencing and possible release. The House amendment completely removed the mandatory minimum sentence for second-degree murder, reducing the statutory minimum to zero months of incarceration. “I voted ‘no’ because I will never stop fighting for the safety of our communities and the rights of crime victims,” said Williams.

House Majority Opens Back Door for Murderers Serving Life Sentences to Seek Release

“It is absurd that hoax calls of active shooters – which is intended as an act of terrorism – is not currently a crime in Pennsylvania. We must remedy that immediately. Our safety demands it,” said Williams. To address this threat, Williams will introduce two bills. The first will make swatting a felony when the individual engages in the act of swatting. The second allows courts to order those convicted of swatting to reimburse the state, municipalities and emergency responders for the full cost of their response, including personnel time, prosecution and equipment.

Williams to Introduce Legislation to Make Swatting a Crime in Pennsylvania

HARRISBURG – Rep. Craig Williams (R-Delaware/Chester) reintroduces legislation granting the Pennsylvania Attorney General concurrent jurisdiction to prosecute prior-convicted felons in possession of guns stemming from arrests in the City of Philadelphia. It is both a federal and state crime for a prior-convicted felon to possess a gun. The bill establishes a Gun Violence Task Force (GVTF) to coordinate enforcement efforts between the Office of Attorney General, U.S. Attorney’s Office (Eastern District of Pennsylvania), Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office, and local and federal law enforcement agencies.

Williams Reintroduces Bill Creating Task Force to Prosecute Prior-Convicted Felons Illegally in Possession of Guns in Philadelphia

The bill establishes a Gun Violence Task Force (GVTF) to coordinate enforcement efforts between the Office of Attorney General, U.S. Attorney’s Office (Eastern District of Pennsylvania), Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office, and local and federal law enforcement agencies. “Between 2018 and 2024, more than 12,000 people were shot in Philadelphia, with nearly 2,500 of those shootings proving fatal,” said Williams. “We must bring the full weight of law enforcement to combat this crisis. This legislation creates a multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force with direct prosecutorial authority to remove violent felons from our streets.”

Voted against House Bill 1042, which removed the mandatory minimum sentence for second-degree murder.

Plans to introduce bills making swatting—false emergency reports intended to prompt a police response—a felony and allowing courts to require offenders to reimburse emergency-response costs.

Reintroduced legislation authorizing the attorney general to prosecute gun-possession cases involving previously convicted felons in Philadelphia and creating a multi-agency task force.

- Voted against House Bill 1042, which removed the mandatory minimum sentence for second-degree murder.
- Plans to introduce bills making swatting—false emergency reports intended to prompt a police response—a felony and allowing courts to require offenders to reimburse emergency-response costs.
- Reintroduced legislation authorizing the attorney general to prosecute gun-possession cases involving previously convicted felons in Philadelphia and creating a multi-agency task force.

Public Safety

Voting & Elections

Elizabeth Moro

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