Business

Willis was a bus driver for his school at age 15. He worked as an electrician in Anniston for three years. He created a sawmill business in 1965, using $350 in savings and a $1,700 loan. His company earned $14,000 in its first year and grew to earn around $2 million yearly by the 1980s.^[8] The lumber industry declined in the late 1980s and Willis had to fire 27 of his 29 employees in 1989, before closing his business and auctioning off his lumber mill.^[9]

Willis was an admirer of Andrew Jackson. In 1959, he determined that he wanted a mansion designed to be a copy of The Hermitage after watching The President's Lady. He first saw the building in 1972, and started construction on his own replica in Nances Creek, on July 7, 1978.^[10][11] His family moved into the house on July 4, 1980, months before construction was completed. The building cost $200,000.^[12] A resolution declaring his house the Alabama Hermitage was passed by the Alabama Legislature.^[13]

Local politics

Willis was elected to the Calhoun County Democratic Executive Committee in 1966.^[14] He was a trustee of the White Plains School, vice-president of the parent–teacher association, and president of the Civitan International of White Plains.^[6]

Earl Morgan, a member of the Calhoun County Commission, announced that he would not seek reelection in 1970.^[15] Willis placed first in the initial Democratic primary and won the runoff election.^[16][17] He defeated Republican nominee H. Brad Snead.^[18] He was the youngest man elected to the county commission.^[19] Willis lost renomination to Marshall Prickett in the 1974 primary.^[20]

State legislature

Presidential

The first person Willis voted for president was John F. Kennedy.^[41] In 1980, Willis and his wife ran to serve as delegates to the Democratic National Convention for Jimmy Carter from the Alabama's 3rd congressional district, but were unsuccessful.^{[42][43][44][45]} He ran to serve as a delegate from the 3rd congressional district to the 2000 Democratic National Convention.^[46]

On February 11, 1982, Willis stated that he was considering running for the Democratic nomination in the 1984 presidential election.^[19] He announced that he would not run for reelection to the state house and instead run for president on April 19.^[47] His campaign headquarters was in Piedmont, Alabama,^[48] and his wife served as his campaign manager.^[49]

Willis attended the 1983 Georgia Jefferson–Jackson Dinner, but was not recognized as a presidential candidate.^[50] Paul Weston, executive director of the Democratic Party of Georgia, stated that the party limited recognition to those recognized by the national media.^[51] He placed third behind Alan Cranston and Fritz Hollings in a straw poll conducted by the Alabama Young Democrats.^[52] He considered switching to seek the presidential nomination of the American Independent Party.^[53] He criticized the League of Women Voters for not inviting him to a debate hosted on March 11, 1984.^[54]

Willis was the third candidate to qualify for Alabama's Democratic presidential primary.^[55] Bert Lance, the chair of the Democratic Party of Georgia, added Willis' name to the state's primary ballot "in the interest of fairness" and due to Willis performing better than multiple major candidates in the delegate selection caucus.^[56] He focused his campaign on Alabama, Georgia, and New Hampshire.^[57]

By December 1983, Willis believed that Walter Mondale had "the thing sewn up", but hoped to gain enough support in the primaries to be considered for the vice presidential nomination.^[58] Willis received 50 votes in New Hampshire,^[59] 6,153 votes in Alabama,^[60] and 1,804 votes in Georgia.^[61] He ran in the American Independent presidential primary in California, but placed last behind Gordon "Jack" Mohr, A.J. Lowery, and Charles Glenn.^[62] He unsuccessfully attempted to serve as an at-large delegate to the Democratic National Convention.^[63] Willis won the New Hampshire Democratic vice-presidential primary.^[64] He raised $143,505, with $122,755 coming from himself, and spent $143,274 during his campaign.^[65]

Congressional campaigns

In 1996, Browder, a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives from the 3rd congressional district, chose to run in the U.S. senatorial election rather than seek reelection.^[66] Willis announced his campaign for the Democratic nomination on February 16,^[67][68] but placed third behind T. D. Little and Gerald Dial.^[69] Willis did not endorse Dial, but stated that he would vote for him.^[70] He raised $179,135, with $150,000 coming from himself, and spent $178,278 during the campaign.^[71]

Willis said that he would run in the 2002 election if he was still within the 3rd congressional district after redistricting.^[72] Willis announced his campaign on January 30, 2002,^[73] but lost in the Democratic primary to Joe Turnham.^[74] Willis endorsed Republican nominee Mike Rogers.^[75] Rogers, who narrowly won the election, credited his victory to Willis' endorsement.^[76] He raised and spent $479,087, with $424,884.51 being a loan from himself, during the campaign.^[77]