Massac County State’s Attorney Patrick Windhorst has been declared the winner in the three-way Republican primary in the 118th State House District.
With 117 of 140 precincts reporting, Windhorst has 5,282 votes (60.13 percent) to 1,769 votes for Samuel Stratemeyer (20.14 percent) and 1,734 votes for Wes Sherrod (19.74 percent).
Windhorst based his campaign on being opposed to the policies of longtime House Speaker Mike Madigan (D-Chicago), including the recently enacted state budget that carries a 32 percent income tax hike that he was instrumental in pushing through.
Windhorst said it’s all the dysfunction now coming out of Springfield that has led to the out-migration exodus Illinois is now experiencing.
Serving as Massac County state’s attorney since 2004, Windhorst said he was motivated to run by what he sees as the state’s new, reform-free budget.
"A lot of people are moving away, and the first thing we need to do is remove Madigan," he told the SE Illinois News. "We need to make the state more attractive to people and businesses by addressing things like property taxes and workman’s compensation.”
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