Representatiincoinve Patrick Windhorst Contact information

Patrick Windhorst is an American politician from Illinois. He is a Republican member of the Illinois House of Representatives. He currently represents the 117th district due to redistricting, although he was first elected to serve as Illinois’ 118th district State Representative in 2018.

Windhorst lives in Metropolis, Illinois. After graduating from Massac County High School, he earned an associate degree from Shawnee Community College. In 1997, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in journalism from the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. In 2000, he earned a JD degree from Southern Illinois University School of Law.

In 2000, Windhorst started his career as an attorney at Denton & Keuler, where he worked until 2004. He was then elected as State’s Attorney for Massac County, a position he held until being elected State Representative in November 2018.

As a State Representative, Windhorst has served on several Illinois House Committees and Subcommittees, including the Criminal Administration and Enforcement Subcommittee, Ethics and Elections, Family Law & Probate Subcommittee, Firearms and Firearm Safety Subcommittee, Higher Education, Human Services and Human Services Appropriations, Judiciary Civil Law, Judiciary Criminal Law, Mental Health, Restorative Justice, and Sentencing, Penalties and Criminal Procedure Subcommittee.

Windhorst has been a leading voice in the legislature opposing unconstitutional measures that would end cash bail and restrict the rights of law-abiding gun owners. He helped lead the House Republican caucus in opposing the controversial SAFE-T Act, and has continuously argued that ending cash bail in Illinois is dangerous and unconstitutional.

He has sponsored legislation to increase the rights of victims of violent crime and has also sponsored legislation that would greatly enhance ethics laws governing legislators and other elected officials. He believes in limited government, reduced regulatory burdens on employers, and incentivizing economic development for rural, underpopulated areas.

Windhorst is a member of the Illinois State Bar Association, the Metropolis Rotary Club, the Shawnee College Foundation Board, the Metropolis Chamber of Commerce, and the Massac County Drug Awareness Coalition.

Patrick and his wife Holly reside in Metropolis with their two children.