
Weare resident Lilly Tang Williams is the Republican Candidate for New Hampshire’s 2nd congressional district. She will face off with Democrat Maggie Goodlander on November 5th Election Day.
Her journey to becoming a candidate for federal office is highly improbable. Tang-Williams was born in Sichuan Province in Central China and her early childhood was during the oppression of Communist dictator Mao Zedong’s Cultural Revolution that ended with his death in 1976. Formerly known as The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, it was a violent, chaotic, and extremely repressive chapter in China’s history.
Tang-Williams excelled academically, graduated at the top of her high school class, and enrolled in Fudan University in Shanghai to study law. She ultimately became a law professor at the University and a trusted party member.
As a student, a chance encounter with an American foreign exchange student changed her view of the world. He showed her a pocket version of the U.S. Constitution and the Declaration of Independence.
“The Constitution and Declaration of Independence brought me to this country. I heard about it from another third-year student, which is a college degree in China. An American student introduced me to the concept of individuality and personal liberty and that all men are created equal. What a concept. I never heard that before, I never heard that under communist rule,” Tang-Williams said.
Realizing she could not continue in her career and live under Communist rule she emigrated to the United States in 1988 and was granted asylum. She became a naturalized citizen in 1995. Tang-Williams is a married mother of three and a businesswoman who has a firm helping American companies do business in China and providing expert witness testimony services on China-related matters
Initially, she was a registered Republican but switched registration to the Libertarian party in response to the Patriot Act being enacted and the impact on personal liberty.
Her first political activity began in Colorado where she made an unsuccessful run for a House seat in 2014. In 2015 she became the Libertarian Party state chairman and in 2016 she ran for U.S. Senate against Democrat Michael Bennett.
In 2016 she visited NH for the first time and signed on to the Free State Project pledge. In 2019 she and her husband John moved to New Hampshire. She rejoined the Republican Party when she registered to vote in NH. She has distanced herself from the Free Staters although in 2024 she spoke at their Porcupine Freedom Festival as part of her congressional campaign.
She co-founded and is chair of the New Hampshire Asian-American Coalition, a civic and social organization helping the Asian-American community of NH.
In 2022 she made her first NH political run against Congresswoman Annie Kuster and lost. This year she won the Republican nomination for the seat Kuster is vacating.
She is running, she sayd, because “I survived communism, I came here to seek freedom and opportunity. I am running because I see some of those American ideals that are dear to my heart going away and our country is so divided.”
And it is her unique journey that is at the heart of her campaign.
“I have a unique story and with the way I tell my story I am connecting with people all over my district,” she said.
Moving more policy choices to local control and reducing the size of the federal government are frequent themes in her campaign. She is also unequivocal in her support of Donald Trump.
She rejects claims that she wants to ban abortion or that she embraces Project 2025. If there would be a national restriction on reproductive rights legislation if she gets to Congress she is adamant she will not vote for it.
“I would stay out of it because I would like to see state’s rights for that and local control. It is grassroots democracy. Let the people decide what is the best way because the federal government is so big, she said. Leave it to states is the best way. I will not vote on the federal level because I really trust our local people here in NH to decide,” Tang-Williams said. “I respect that choice.”
Reflecting on China’s one-child policy which she grew up under, she expressed compassion for women and the issue of government control over their bodies.
“I sympathize on this issue. It is very divisive and it is very passionate on both sides and I really always want to empathize and have compassion for those lives of the individual – and let us begin on the common ground that we all are trying to reduce abortions,” she said.
When asked what the top issues she hears from voters about she replied, “Inflation and the economy, affordable housing, border security and some even tell me about women’s sports with issues with only girls playing.”
Nashua is the largest city in the 2nd Congressional District. For Nashua residents, she points out she has good connections with the city, especially with the immigrant community. She won a majority in the September Republican primary from Nashua voters.
“Lots of people connected with me, especially the more diverse population. I talk to the Asian-Americans in Nashua, I talk to the Hispanics I want to tell them my policies will keep the American Dream alive,” said Tang-Williams. “I see my path to victory as connecting with independents who are not party-oriented, maybe not political but they connect with me and agree with me.”
There is no doubt that Lily Tang-Williams has a worldview that was shaped by her very unique lived experiences. There is no doubt of her sincerity and her passion for being an American. Gaining the privilege to vote after living in a system where such a thing was not possible is a sacred thing.
She believes in her adopted democracy and the power of citizens to affect change. She offers this advice to Granite Staters: “If you really want to get something done then get activated. Get involved, go knock on a door, go write to them, show up in Concord, and testify. I have testified in Concord many times. That is a citizen’s job and duty.”