SE Illinois News

State Representative Patrick Windhorst from Metropolis has expressed his disappointment after the Illinois Supreme Court dismissed a lawsuit concerning gerrymandered legislative district maps. The lawsuit, filed by House Republican Leader Tony McCombie, was challenged due to timing issues, according to the court.

Windhorst emphasized his support for the opinion of Supreme Court Justice David Overstreet, who referenced a pre-2019 federal precedent necessitating data collection from two election cycles. "House Republicans waited the requisite amount of time and collected the required data to present to the Supreme Court, arguing that the maps drawn during the 2022 redistricting process were too heavily weighted in favor of Illinois Democrats," Windhorst stated. He further added, "I believe the maps were drawn specifically to keep the Democratic Party in power and prevent voters of the minority party from having their voice heard in the legislature."

House Republicans have proposed House Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment 5, which aims to establish a bipartisan commission for drawing Illinois' legislative district maps. Windhorst expressed his support for this approach, saying, "I favor an equally weighted bipartisan commission being in charge of drawing Illinois’ legislative district maps, and I reject the idea that our legislative maps are best drawn by politicians or by one political party." He conveyed his frustration about the court's decision, noting, "We’ve done this the wrong way for decades, and I am profoundly disappointed and frustrated by today’s ruling that ends Illinoisans’ chance to be fairly represented."