Tom Willis is a West Virginia State Senator representing the 15th district (Berkeley County area) since November 2024. He is a U.S. Army Special Forces Green Beret officer with 25+ years of military service, attorney, businessman, and community leader. Willis was born in the Eastern Panhandle and is a Christian, husband, and father of three surviving children. He earned his B.A. from the University of Virginia, J.D. from the University of Oregon School of Law, and L.L.M. in tax law from Georgetown University Law Center. Willis defeated incumbent and powerful State Senate President Craig Blair in the 2024 primary, proving he could challenge established politicians. He was appointed to lead the West Virginia Senate Judiciary Committee in December 2025 despite being a freshman senator and running for U.S. Senate. Willis ran for U.S. Senate in 2018, coming in fourth in the Republican primary with approximately 10% of the vote.
Willis earned degrees from the University of Virginia (B.A.), University of Oregon School of Law (J.D.), and Georgetown University Law Center (L.L.M. in tax law). He is a 25-year member of the West Virginia National Guard, serving as a U.S. Army Special Forces Green Beret with deployments across the globe including South America and the Middle East. Willis speaks English, French, Spanish, and Russian and is a published author. He has appeared as a guest on FOX Business, CNN, and i24 News. Willis is a businessman and attorney in the Eastern Panhandle with focus on real estate. He is married to Sara and together they have three surviving children; he was previously married and had a son who died from cancer and a daughter who also passed away. He helped found the Rick Herrema Foundation supporting military families. Willis serves on the Board of Advisors for the Hunter Carlos Willis Aviation Program at Shepherd University. He owns Glen Ferris Inn in partnership with Harrison Gilliam.