Carbondale Reporter

Rep. Patrick Windhorst (R-IL) was named a "Champion of Free Enterprise" by the Illinois Chamber of Commerce this month, in recognition of his efforts to promote and protect the interests of employers across the state. 

In a Sept. 23 Facebook post, Windhorst addressed the recognition, saying he was honored to receive the designation by the Chamber of Commerce. 

“The Illinois Chamber closely monitors the impact of pending legislation on our economy and members of the business community,” Windhorst wrote in his Facebook post. “Illinois has a challenging business environment, so it is imperative that our elected officials work diligently to maximize opportunities for growth, and minimize the impact of hyper regulation and high taxation. One of my goals as a legislator is to make Illinois a better place to do business and therefore attract more employers to our state.”

Windhorst was first elected to the Illinois House in 2018. A state representative residing in Metropolis, his legislative experience includes serving on the Restorative Justice Committee and Judiciary - Criminal.  

The Illinois Chamber of Commerce is a private nonprofit organization supported by member dues, contributions from a diverse group of primarily Illinois-based businesses and revenue generated by offering HR compliance educational seminars and materials.

The Illinois Chamber ranked all Illinois legislators in their Chamber of Commerce Legislative Rankings, based on each legislator's votes on key business-related legislation of the 102nd General Assembly. Rankings are determined by staff and the Illinois Chamber’s Government Affairs Committee with votes in the House and Senate selected based on their impact on the business community.