Patrick Welch
Member of the Illinois Senate
from the 38th district
In office
January 12, 1983 – January 12, 2005
Preceded byJohn E. Grotberg[1][2]
Succeeded byGary G. Dahl
Personal details
Born
Patrick Daniel Welch

(1948-12-12)December 12, 1948
Chicago, Illinois
DiedJanuary 7, 2020(2020-01-07) (aged 71)
Political partyDemocratic
ResidencePeru, Illinois
Alma materChicago-Kent College of Law
Southern Illinois University
ProfessionAttorney

Patrick Daniel Welch (December 12, 1948 – January 7, 2020) was an American politician who served as a Democratic member of the Illinois Senate, representing the 38th district from 1983 to 2005. He served as an Assistant Majority Leader during his final term.[3]

Early life

Patrick Welch was born on December 12, 1948, in Chicago, Illinois. He attended college earning a Bachelor of Arts in Government from Southern Illinois University and a J.D. degree from the Illinois Institute of Technology’s Chicago-Kent College of Law.[3]

Illinois Senate

Welch first entered the Illinois Senate after winning what was thought to be a strongly Republican district against Betty J. Hoxsey in the closest Illinois Senate election of 1982.[4][5] During his time in the Illinois Senate he was appointed to the Illinois Task Force on Global Climate Change,[6] and proposed saving taxpayers money by eliminating the office of Lieutenant Governor of Illinois[7] During his tenure Welch was a perennial target of the Illinois Republican Party,[8] but managed to defeat major efforts to unseat him including a $500,000 spending effort in 1990 and a 700 vote margin of victory in 1994. He lost election in 2004 to Gary G. Dahl.

Death

He died of complications of a stroke on January 7, 2020, at age 71. He was also suffering from dementia prior to his death.[9]

References

  1. ↑ "The Senate: Economic development and state revenue are the issue for 1983". Lib.niu.edu. Retrieved 2020-01-08.
  2. ↑ Illinois Blue Book 1981-1982 page 144
  3. 1 2 "Senator Patrick Welch (D) - Previous General Assembly (93rd) 38th District". Illinois General Assembly. 2003-01-01. Retrieved 2013-10-31.
  4. ↑ Charles N. Wheeler III (1986-09-01). "GOP targets Senate takeover, but LaRouche factor nil". Illinois Issues. Retrieved 2013-10-31.
  5. ↑ Ross, Diane (1986-09-01). "GOP targets Senate takeover, but LaRouche factor nil". Illinois Issues. Retrieved 2013-10-31.
  6. ↑ James Pollock; F. Mark Siebert & Charles Swearingen (1993-03-30). "Illinois Task Force on Global Climate Change". Illinois Issues. Retrieved 2013-10-31.
  7. ↑ Long, Peggy Boyer (1998-06-14). "THE PEOPLE'S COURT? : Citizens could have a hand in disciplining judges". Illinois Issues. Retrieved 2013-10-31.
  8. ↑ Charles N. Wheeler III (1990-11-01). "Voter apathy or disenchantment?". Illinois Issues. Retrieved 2013-10-31.
  9. ↑ Tom Collins (2020-01-07). "Patrick Welch, 22-year state senator, dead at 71". Mywebtimes.com. Archived from the original on January 8, 2020. Retrieved 2020-01-08.
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