Edwin “Gex” Williams is a familiar face in both Kentucky and Boone County Republican politics.
Williams represents Kentucky’s 20th Senate District, which includes portions of Boone and Kenton counties and all of Carroll, Franklin, Gallatin and Owen counties. Williams, a Verona resident, returned to the General Assembly in 2023 after previously serving in the legislature during the 1990s.
Williams previously served in the Kentucky House from 1991 to 1992 before winning a special election to the state Senate in 1993. He served there through 1998. More than two decades later, Williams returned to the legislature after defeating Democrat Teresa Barton in the newly redrawn 20th District in 2022.
Williams’ professional background is in computer science and information technology. He attended the U.S. Naval Academy before earning a bachelor’s degree in computer science and a master’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Florida. He later worked as an information technology consultant and software developer.
That experience has carried over into his work in Frankfort. Williams has served as co-chair of a legislative committee focused on improving the state government’s technology systems.
Healthcare has also been a recurring focus for Williams. He has pushed for changes to Kentucky’s certificate-of-need system, which regulates when certain health care facilities and services can be established or expanded. In 2023, Williams co-sponsored legislation that would have streamlined the approval process for certain local governments and repealed a section of state law outlining the purpose of the certificate-of-need system.
Williams has also sponsored legislation dealing with education, taxes, occupational licensing and state government technology during his current term.
LINK nky attempted to make contact with Williams multiple times, but he did not respond. Information that appears in this profile was drawn from social media accounts, on-the-record statements at public events and other information publicly available.