Willie Wilson (businessman)

Willie L. Wilson (born June 16, 1948)[1] is an American businessman and politician from Chicago, Illinois who has run for multiple elected offices, including Mayor of Chicago and President of the United States. In September 2019, he announced a run for United States Senate, seeking to unseat incumbent Senator Dick Durbin in 2020.[2]

Willie Wilson
Personal details
Born (1948-06-16) June 16, 1948
Gilbert, Louisiana, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Alma materMt. Carmel Theological
Seminary (DDiv)
WebsiteCampaign website

He has owned and operated several different McDonald's restaurant franchises and owns Omar Medical Supplies, which imports and distributes latex gloves and other medical and safety supplies and equipment.[3][4] He also produces the nationally syndicated gospel music television program Singsation, which won a Chicago/Midwest Emmy Award in 2012.[3][5][6]

Early life and education

Wilson was born the son of a sharecropper in Louisiana.[6] His grandparents were slaves.[7]

Wilson completed a seventh grade education.[8][9]

Wilson later received a Doctor of Divinity degree from Mt. Carmel Theological Seminary and a Doctor of Humane Letters from Chicago Baptist Institute International.[10]

Wilson left home at age thirteen, and began his working life earning twenty cents per hour working in cotton and sugar cane fields.[7]

Wilson lived for periods of time in Miami and New York City, before settling in Chicago in 1965.[7]

Wilson worked various jobs once he moved to Chicago, before being hired to mop floors and flip burgers at a McDonald's.[7] He worked his way up, being eventually promoted to manager, and later receiving a loan to become a McDonald's franchisee, thus starting his business career.[7]

Business career

In his career as a businessman, Wilson owned five McDonald's franchises (which he subsequently sold) and started a medical-supply company.[6][7] He also produced the nationally syndicated gospel music television program Singsation[3][5]

He has served as the founder and Chairman of the Board of Omar Medical Supplies, Inc.[7][8]

Philanthropic and nonprofit career

Wilson is noted as a philanthropist.[8]

Wilson served on the Board of Chicago Baptist Institute.[8]

Political career

Wilson served as the Chairman of the Governor's Task Force on Fair Practices in Contracting.[8] In 2014, Illinois Governor-elect Bruce Rauner appointed Wilson to his transition team.[11]

2015 Chicago mayoral campaign
Main article: 2015 Chicago mayoral election
Map showing Wilson's 2015 vote share, by ward, darker shades indicate higher vote percentages

Wilson ran for Mayor of Chicago in 2015, being one of several challengers to incumbent mayor Rahm Emanuel.

Wilson collected 43,000 signatures for his candidature petition within five days. Emanuel issued a challenge to the validity of signatures collected.[12] Emanuel ultimately dropped his challenge to Wilson's petition.[13]

Wilson staked out a number of positions, including advocating for bringing a casino to Chicago and restoring Meigs Field (on Northerly Island) as an airport.[7]

Wilson placed third in a five-candidate race with 50,960 votes, equal 10.66% of the votes cast.[14][15][16] Wilson was critical of Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy, and pledged to fire him if elected mayor.[7] Wilson was also critical of Chicago Public Schools school closures which had taken place under Emanuel.[7]

Wilson's endorsement in the runoff was actively sought by both candidates Rahm Emanuel and Jesús "Chuy" García.[17] Wilson endorsed García.[18][19]

2016 United States presidential campaign
Willie Wilson 2016
Campaign2016 United States presidential election
CandidateWillie Wilson
AffiliationDemocratic Party
StatusDropped-Out
Headquarters345 E. Wacker Unit 4601, Chicago, IL 60601[20]
Key peopleAndre Fair campaign treasurer
ReceiptsUS$1,100,421 (5/06/2016[20])
SloganWe Still Believe
Website
Official website
Map demonstrating the ballot access of Wilson's campaign
Legend:
  On ballot
  On ballot as other
  Not on ballot
Map of third-place finishes in Democratic primaries and caucuses
Legend:
  Steve Burke
  Rocky De La Fuente
  Paul T. Farrell Jr.
  Martin O'Malley
  Willie Wilson
  Uncommitted
  No third place candidate

After setting-up an exploratory committee on May 11, 2015, Wilson officially announced on June 1, 2015, that he would be running as a candidate for President of the United States in the 2016 election. He ran as a Democrat.[3][21][22][23]

Wilson was on the ballot in several states during the 2016 Democratic primaries. He was the only minor candidate to appear on the ballot in South Carolina's "First in the South" primaries, perhaps due to the comparatively higher cost of the state's ballot entry fee.[24]

The Wilson campaign was the first presidential campaign, Democratic or Republican, to buy advertisements in the state of Iowa.[25]

He dropped-out on April 12, 2016.[26]

In the general election, Wilson personally voted for Republican nominee Donald Trump.[27]

Below is a table of the results of primary competitions he competed in during the Democratic primaries.

Primaries and Caucus Results
Date Contest Votes Place Percent Delegates Source(s)
February 1Iowa caucusA0N/A0.000The Green Papers
February 27South Carolina primary1,3143rd of 40.350The Green Papers
March 1Texas primary3,2545th of 80.230The Green Papers
March 5Louisiana primary1,4236th of 100.460The Green Papers
March 8Mississippi primary9193rd of 50.400The Green Papers
March 15Illinois primary6,5653rd of 80.320The Green Papers
Missouri primary3078th of 10B0.050The Green Papers
June 7California primary10,5443rd of 70.240The Green Papers
North Dakota caucus00.000The Green Papers
Total (Current)24,3267thC0.080The Green Papers
A.^ On ballot as other
B.^ Counting Uncommitted as having placed 3rd
C.^ Counting Uncommitted and No Preference, respectively, as placing 4th and 6th

Campaign finances
Wilson speaking at the 2016 Scott County, Iowa Democratic Party Dinner

Detailed below are the FEC-filed finances of Willie Wilson 2016 as of 5/6/2016[20]

Receipts
Financial Source Amount (USD)
Federal Funds0
Itemized Individual Contributions28,685
Unitemized Individual Contributions6,705
Party Committees Contributions0
Other Committees Contributions0
Total Contributions35,390
Transfers from Authorized Committees0
Candidate Loans1,055,100
Other Loans0
Total Loans1,055,100
Offsets to Operating Expenditures9,931
Fundraising Offsets0
Legal and Accounting Offsets0
Total Offsets9,857
Other Receipts0
Total Receipts1,100,421
Disbursements
Disbursements Amount (USD)
Operating Expenditures1,055,444
Transfers To Authorized Committees0
Fundraising0
Exempt Legal and Accounting0
Candidate Loan Repayments11,627
Other Loan Repayments0
Total Loan Repayments11,627
Individual Contribution Refunds0
Political Party Contribution Refunds0
Other Committee Contribution Refunds0
Total Contribution Refunds0
Other Disbursements33,350
Total Disbursements1,100,421
Cash Summary
Category Amount (USD)
Beginning Cash On Hand0
Current Cash On Hand0
Net Contributions35,390
Net Operating Expenditures1,045,512
Debts/Loans Owed By Campaign1,043,472
Debts/Loans Owed To Campaign0

2019 Chicago mayoral campaign
Main article: 2019 Chicago mayoral election

In March 2018, Wilson formally announced that he would run a second time for Mayor of Chicago in the 2019 mayoral election.[28]

During his campaign, Wilson generated controversy for handing out money to churchgoers. This practice of his was challenged before the Illinois State Board of Elections, which found that it did not violate any campaign finance laws since the money came from his non-profit foundation. Wilson defended his actions, declaring that his church appearances were not campaign-related, and that he was not buying votes.[29] He continued this practice after the decision by the Board of Elections.[30]

During the campaign, in late November of 20, Wilson declared that he believed that other black candidates needed, "to get out of the way."[31]

Wilson launched challenges to the candidature petitions of several black candidates,[31] including Roger Washington,[31], Ja'Mal Green,[31] Neal Sales-Griffin,[32] and Dorothy Brown.[32] At the last minute, Wilson moved to drop his challenge to Sales-Griffin's and Brown's petitions. Brown was still removed from the ballot due to Toni Preckwinkle maintaining her challenge to Brown's petition, but Sales-Griffin was allowed to be included on the ballot.[32] Chicago Electoral Board Chair Marisel Hernandez chastised the Brown campaign for its political maneuver's regarding ballot challenges.[32]

Wilson was endorsed by the Cook County Republican Party.[33]

Wilson failed to make it to the runoff, placing fourth with 59,072 votes, equal 10.61% of vote cast.[34][35][36] Wilson performed very well on the West and South sides of the city.[37] Despite placing fourth, Wilson had a plurality of the vote in more wards than any other candidate (he came first in thirteen wards).[36][38][39][40] The thirteen wards that Wilson carried a plurality of the vote in were all predominately black (these being thirteen out of the total of eighteen wards in the city that are predominately black).[41]

Again, Wilson's endorsement was actively sought by both candidates in the runoff.[42] Wilson endorsed Lori Lightfoot.[43][44][45]

2020 U.S. Senate campaign
See also: 2020 United States Senate election in Illinois

In August 2019, Wilson expressed his intention to challenge incumbent United States Senator from Illinois Dick Durbin in 2020, running in the general election as an independent challenger to Durbin.[46]

Personal life

Wilson's son Omar, who was involved in gangs and drug dealing, was shot and killed at the age of 20.[7]

Political stances

Wilson self-identifies as an independent Democrat.[27]

In the 2016 United States Presidential general election, Wilson personally voted for Republican nominee Donald Trump.[27] When asked in 2019 about his possible vote in the 2020 election, Wilson declared, "I am not going to vote, nor will I ever vote again, for President Trump."[27]

During the COVID-19 pandemic in Illinois, Wilson advocated that churches should be allowed to hold in-person services despite the state's stay-at-home order.[47]

Economic policy

Wilson stated in 2019 that he believes the spending of tax money has "not proportionately benefited all races of citizens," in Illinois.[27]

LGBTQ rights

Wilson tweeted in response to the Obergefell v. Hodges decision, “I disagree with what I consider the Supreme Court’s reinterpretation of what constitutes marriage. Marriage has and should always be that sacred union between a man and a woman. Period."[48] However, in 2018, Wilson declared that he had changed his mind on the issue of same-sex marriage, declaring that he now believes that, "everybody is entitled to do whatever they want to do and be with whoever they want to be."[48]

In a 2018 interview with the Chicago Sun-Times, Wilson stated that his upbringing in the Deep South had made it difficult for him to understand the LGBTQ community, but that he was "reaching out" and seeking to "learn".[48]

gollark: I'm on a second-hand laptop from, what, 2017? I value having my computer not randomly waste CPU cycles.
gollark: Also doesn't install Candy Crush randomly.
gollark: It's not just that - Linux has scripting, generally has less overhead, supports some development tooling better, and may actually be capable of running on more devices.
gollark: It manages something like 17 seconds boot time from kernel init to *usable desktop* (I think it might include connecting to Wifi, not sure); I do not control the firmware step and can't do much to the bootloader.
gollark: You do, these are DIFFERENT COMPUTERS, that is a significant difference, with different SSDs, and whatever else.

References
  1. BusinessMakers, MusicMakers - Willie L. Wilson The HistoryMakers. July 16, 2008. Accessed June 4, 2015.
  2. Wall, Craig (2019-09-03). "Willie Wilson announces US Senate bid, challenging Senator Dick Durbin". ABC7 Chicago. Retrieved 2020-05-20.
  3. With White House in his sights, Willie Wilson heads to Iowa Chicago Sun Times. June 1, 2015. Accessed June 3, 2015.
  4. Willie Wilson selling up-by-the-bootstraps story in Chicago mayor race Chicago Tribune. February 13, 2015. Accessed June 3, 2015.
  5. Meet mayoral candidate Willie Wilson, the anti-politician RedEye. February 11, 2015. Accessed June 6, 2015.
  6. "Sharecropper's son turned successful businessman, Wilson wants 'equal opportunity for all'". Chicago Sun-Times. 9 February 2015. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  7. Vivanco, Leonor (11 February 2019). "Meet mayoral candidate Willie Wilson, the anti-politician". chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
  8. "Willie L. Wilson, candidate for mayor". Chicago Sun-Times. 28 January 2019. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  9. Zorn, Eric (26 December 2018). "Is there a *real* doctor in the house?". chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  10. "Chicago Mayor Candidate: Willie Wilson". ABC7 Chicago. WLS-TV. 25 January 2019. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  11. Vivanco, Leonor (11 February 2015). "Meet mayoral candidate Willie Wilson, the anti-politician". chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
  12. "Willie Wilson Says Rahm Challenged His Own Signature on Petition". NBC Chicago. 19 December 2014. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
  13. Pearson, Rick (24 December 2014). "Mayor Emanuel drops challenge to petitions of rival Willie Wilson". chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
  14. 2015 Municipal General - 2/24/15 -- Mayor Chicago Board of Elections Commissioners. Accessed June 3, 2015.
  15. Chicago businessman Willie Wilson ready to challenge Emanuel in mayor's race WLS-TV. November 19, 2014. Accessed June 3, 2015.
  16. Race for Chicago Mayor: Willie Wilson says Emanuel is ‘an old snake in new skin’ WGN-TV February 18, 2015. June 3, 2015.
  17. Kim, Katie (28 February 2015). "Emanuel, Garcia Court Wilson's Endorsement". NBC Chicago. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  18. Willie Wilson: Not even President Obama could convince me to back Rahm Chicago Sun Times. June 1, 2015. Accessed June 3, 2015.
  19. Key Chicago Figure, Despite a Plea by Obama, Gives a Lift to Emanuel’s Rival The New York Times. March 12, 2015. Accessed June 3, 2015.
  20. "Details for Committee ID : P60007515". www.fec.gov. Retrieved May 28, 2016.
  21. Willie Wilson, third in Chicago mayor's race, exploring presidential run Chicago Tribune. May 12, 2015. Accessed June 3, 2015.
  22. Willie Wilson Throws Hat In the Ring to Bid for President Chicago Defender. May 12, 2015. Accessed June 3, 2015.
  23. Chicago businessman Willie Wilson running for president WGN-TV. June 1, 2015. Accessed June 3, 2015.
  24. Greenberg, Eric (February 14, 2016). "Long-shot candidates look beyond New Hampshire". MSNBC. NBC Universal. Retrieved May 30, 2016. Despite his larger reach, De La Fuente shares one thing in common with his fellow New Hampshire long shots: None of them will appear on a ballot in South Carolina's "First in the South" primaries on February 20 and 27, where the cost is far more prohibitive than last Tuesday's $1,000 entry fee. The lone South Carolina curiosity will be Willie Wilson, a self-made Chicago businessman, who will appear on the Democratic ballot along with Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders and Martin O'Malley. As in New Hampshire, the former Maryland governor's name will remain on the ballot despite having suspended his campaign after the Iowa caucuses. Wilson previously finished third in the 2015 Chicago mayoral race, and he is the longtime host of the Windy City's television gospel music show "Singsation." Reached by phone in South Carolina yesterday, Wilson said, "I'll be happy if I get 20 percent or so of the delegates … I'm hoping I can win it." Wilson, who recalls going from mopping floors at McDonald's to owning five franchises of his own, knows the road ahead will be difficult. "I believe anything is possible, but I come on this journey to work hard and have faith."
  25. Thomas, Charles (January 31, 2016). "CHICAGO'S WILLIE WILSON DRUMS UP SUPPORT IN IOWA CAUCUS". WLS-TV. American Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved May 30, 2016. The Iowa caucuses are just one day away and all of the big-name candidates are prepping for the first official contest of the 2016 presidential race. Among the Democratic candidates is Chicago businessman Willie Wilson. "We keep going. We're here to stay. We're not going anywhere," Wilson said Sunday. While fellow Democratic contenders Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders have been exchanging jabs about who is the most electable to the White House, Wilson said the National Democratic Party is doing everything it can to stop him from getting traction. "I been turned down eight different times from speaking in Iowa, that's including the debates," Wilson said. Wilson, who is a millionaire, was the first candidate in either party with television ads in Iowa, spending hundreds of thousands of his own dollars. "We're not accepting any money from major corporations," he said. "I'm financing this here 99.9 percent of my own money." His staff blames the Hillary Clinton operatives for silencing and keeping Wilson off the ballot in southern states where African-American voters could be the difference. "He will split the vote between Hillary Clinton and Dr. Willie Wilson and they don't want that," said Nina Morris, of the Wilson campaign. However, Chicago-based political consultant Delmarie Cobb--a Clinton supporter--said the Wilson campaign's disorganization is its worst enemy: "He did not put all of his infrastructure in place," Cobb said. "So he can't necessarily blame it on the Democratic Party." Wilson--a one-time Louisiana cotton-picker who made a fortune in Chicago--still believes he can win primaries in southern states where the Democratic party is dominated by African-Americans.
  26. "Willie Wilson 2016 Committee ID-C00577916" (PDF). Retrieved 2020-05-20.
  27. Wall, Craig (3 September 2019). "Willie Wilson announces US Senate bid, challenging Senator Dick Durbin". ABC7 Chicago. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  28. Strausburg, Chinta (March 29, 2018). "Dr. Willie Wilson throw hat into mayoral ring". Chicago Crusader. Retrieved March 30, 2018.
  29. Bradley, Tahman; Dwyer, Meghan (22 July 2018). "Board of Elections says Wilson's cash giveaway didn't violate rules". WGN-TV. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  30. Thorp, Adam (12 December 2018). "Willie Wilson hands out more cash in church on Sunday". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  31. Byrne, John (3 December 2018). "Chicago mayor's race enters chaotic phase of petition challenges". chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune.
  32. McGhee, Josh (24 January 2019). ""A first": Mayoral hopeful Neal Sáles-Griffin on Chicago ballot despite alleged lack of valid signatures". Chicago Reporter. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
  33. "Cook County GOP Endorses Chicago Mayoral Candidate". NBC Chicago. Retrieved 10 January 2020.
  34. "TABULATED STATEMENT OF THE RETURNS AND PROCLAMATION OF THE RESULTS OF THE CANVASS OF THE ELECTION RETURNS FOR THE FEBRUARY 26, 2019 MUNICIPAL GENERAL ELECTION HELD IN EACH OF THE PRECINCTS IN ALL OF THE WARDS IN THE CITY OF CHICAGO" (PDF). Chicago Board of Elections. Retrieved 20 February 2020.
  35. "2019 Municipal Runoffs - 4/2/19". Chicago Board of Elections. Retrieved April 17, 2019.
  36. "2019 Municipal General - 2/26/19". Chicago Board of Elections. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  37. Bentle, Kyle (14 March 2019). "Mayoral election results: Who won in your precinct?". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
  38. "Map of Chicago mayor election results by precinct". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
  39. McGregor, Jason; Hinz, Greg (March 1, 2019). "Mayoral election: See who won where". Crain's Chicago Business. Retrieved March 3, 2019.
  40. "Chicago Election: How Every Ward Voted for Mayor". NBC Chicago. February 27, 2019. Retrieved March 3, 2019.
  41. Johnson, Erick (28 February 2019). "Lightfoot won without winning a Black ward | The Crusader Newspaper Group". The Chicago Crusader. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
  42. Wall, Craig (1 March 2019). "Lightfoot, Preckwinkle meet with Wilson seeking his endorsement". ABC7 Chicago. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  43. Spielman, Fran (2019-03-08). "Wilson endorsement caps good week for Lightfoot's mayoral campaign". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 2020-05-20.
  44. Jr, John Byrne, Juan Perez. "Lori Lightfoot picks up endorsement from businessman Willie Wilson in mayor's race". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 2020-05-20.
  45. Wall, Crais (8 March 2019). "Chicago Mayor Election 2019: Willie Wilson to endorse Lori Lightfoot". WLS-TV. Retrieved 8 March 2019.
  46. Donovan, Lisa (30 August 2019). "Chicago businessman Willie Wilson says he'll run as an independent to challenge U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin in 2020". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  47. Bauer, Kelly (13 May 2020). "Willie Wilson Plan To Open Churches 'Ridiculous' And Puts Black Lives At Risk, Pritzker Says". Block Club Chicago. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  48. Washington, Laura (9 December 2018). "Wilson has a long way to go to win LGBTQA vote". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
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