Patrick Sheehan Selected to Fill Seat Vacated by Political Ally and Former State Rep. Tim Ozinga

By Illinois Review

On Friday, Lockport Alderman Patrick Sheehan was selected and sworn in to replace former State Rep. Tim Ozinga, (37th Dist.), who abruptly resigned on Tuesday, effective immediately amid rumors that he is eying a run for governor in 2026.

The selection of Sheehan came as no surprise, as the local alderman is a close ally of Ozinga, but the rush to name his appointment just days after the shock resignation has many wondering why. Ozinga has been a major financial contributor to Sheehnan’s campaigns.

Sheehan is a master of political appointments. In 2023, he was appointed to the Lockport City Council, and today, he was appointed to serve in the Illinois House of Representatives, where Republicans maintain a super minority status. Sheehan has been in law enforcement for over 14 years and was an officer with the Plainfield Police Department.

On his Facebook page, Sheehan wrote,

“I am humbled and honored to be named the new State Representative for the 37th District. I look forward to serving you here and in Springfield to continue to make our district the best it can be.”

Illinois House Republican Minority Leader Tony McCombie had a welcoming message as well, writing,

“The Illinois House Republicans are happy to welcome Patrick as the third law enforcement officer serving in our caucus. With the public safety challenges our state faces, Patrick’s expertise will enhance the General Assembly and help make Illinois a place where families can feel safe and succeed.”

Illinois Republicans remain voiceless and irrelevant on local and state matters in Springfield as the Democrats enjoy super majority control in both the Illinois House and Senate chambers. Poor leadership and a perpetual losing streak continue to plague the Republican party despite leaders promising voters big victories every election cycle.

As previously reported by this publication, the Democrat majority has run out of desks in the House chamber, forcing many Democratic members to sit on the Republican side of the aisle. Democrats attempted to install more desks on their side, but settled on crossing the aisle and occupying desks reserved for Republicans instead.

During a press conference last year shortly after being elected super minority leader, McCombie had a message for the Democrats: “I’ll keep knocking on the door until they let me in.” The leader also promised to give Republicans a seat at the table and force the Democrats to work with their Republican colleagues. So far, those attempts have been unsuccessful.

The Democrats also have a major cash advantage, outraising Republicans by $33 million as both parties prepare for the November election. As the financials reveal, Democrat House Speaker Chris Welch has a reported $8.1 million in his account while McCombie is reporting just $1.1 million. Democrats for the Illinois House also report $1.5 million cash-on-hand while the House Republican Organization reports just $632,412.

Last May, during a Will County Republican Central Committee meeting, Will County Republican Chair Tim Ozinga and his board were left stunned, when grassroots conservatives showed up to the meeting with copies of mailers, proving that the Republican Party of Illinois took sides and targeted conservative candidates during the April 4th election, despite party officials denying any involvement. Committee members, including Ozinga denied any involvement – even going so far as to try and discredit this publication for reporting on the original story earlier in the week.

But when grassroots conservatives presented actual copies of the mailers, and passed them around the meeting as evidence, the board members were stunned and in total disbelief that copies of the mailers – a key piece of evidence, still existed. Sources in the room confirmed with Illinois Review that Ozinga’s face turned red and his hands started trembling – and he immediately picked up his cell phone and started texting.

Ozinga was present during the swearing in ceremony.