Representative William Robert Wood - Contact Information

William Robert Woodall III (WUUD-awl; born February 11, 1970) is an American attorney and Republican politician who represented Georgia’s 7th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from January 3, 2011, to January 3, 2021. The district, during his tenure, included most of Gwinnett County, a rapidly growing suburban county northeast of Atlanta, and portions of surrounding areas. Over five terms in Congress, he contributed to the legislative process and represented the interests of his constituents during a period of significant demographic and political change in suburban Georgia.

Woodall was born in Athens, Georgia, and spent part of his youth in Georgia before pursuing higher education. He attended Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina, where he studied political science. He later enrolled at the University of Georgia School of Law in Athens, earning his Juris Doctor. Trained as an attorney, he developed an interest in public policy and conservative political philosophy, which led him into congressional staff work soon after law school rather than into a traditional legal practice.

Woodall’s early career in national politics began in 1994, when he joined the staff of U.S. Representative John Linder of Georgia. Over the next sixteen years, from 1994 to 2010, he worked in Linder’s office in various capacities, gaining extensive experience in legislative affairs, constituent services, and policy development. He eventually rose to become Linder’s chief of staff, a role in which he managed the congressional office, advised on legislative strategy, and helped shape the office’s priorities. During this period, Woodall became closely associated with Linder’s advocacy of tax reform, particularly the FairTax proposal, and developed a reputation as a committed fiscal conservative.

When John Linder decided not to seek reelection in 2010, Woodall ran to succeed him in Georgia’s 7th congressional district as the Republican nominee. He won the general election and took office on January 3, 2011. As a member of the House of Representatives, William Robert Woodall III participated in the democratic process and represented the interests of constituents in a district that was historically Republican but increasingly competitive. A member of the Republican Party, he aligned with the party’s conservative wing, emphasizing limited government, lower taxes, and reduced federal spending. Over the course of his service, he was involved in debates on budgetary policy, health care, and regulatory reform, and he continued to champion tax reform measures that echoed the priorities he had advanced while on Linder’s staff.

Woodall successfully secured reelection multiple times. In the 2012 election, he won with 62.16% of the 252,066 votes cast, defeating Democratic nominee Steve Reilly. In 2014, he was reelected with 65.39% of the 173,669 votes cast, defeating Democrat Thomas D. Wight. In 2016, he again held the seat with 60.38% of the 288,301 votes cast, defeating Democratic challenger Rashid Malik. These victories reflected the district’s continued, though gradually narrowing, Republican lean during the first half of his congressional tenure.

The 2018 election marked a turning point in Woodall’s congressional career and highlighted the changing political landscape of suburban Atlanta. That year, he faced Democratic challenger Carolyn Bourdeaux in what became one of the most closely watched House races in the country. Woodall received support from the Great America Committee, a political action committee registered by Vice President Mike Pence, underscoring national Republican interest in retaining the seat. The race proved unexpectedly competitive, and after a recount, Woodall defeated Bourdeaux by only 433 votes. It was the closest House race in the 2018 midterm elections and the closest a Democrat had come to winning that district since its creation in 1993, when it was initially numbered as the 4th District (1993–1997), then the 11th District (1997–2003), and the 7th District from 2003 onward. Following this narrow victory and amid ongoing demographic shifts in the district, Woodall later chose not to seek reelection in 2020, concluding his service in Congress at the end of his fifth term on January 3, 2021.

After leaving office, Woodall returned to private life, drawing on his background as an attorney and former congressional staffer and member. His career in public service, spanning more than two decades in Washington as both a senior aide and a U.S. Representative, reflected a consistent focus on conservative fiscal policy, tax reform, and constituent representation in a rapidly evolving suburban district.