Andrew Chesney

ILLINOIS STATE SENATOR
45TH DISTRICT

City of Chicago Employee Arrested After Making Threats to State Senator Andrew Chesney

After sending two emails threatening physical harm to State Senator Andrew Chesney (R-Freeport), Joseph Haggerty, an inspector for the City of Chicago, was arrested Tuesday and charged with two felony counts of threatening a public official. The threatening messages were sent to Senator Chesney’s government email address the same day he participated in a press […]

Senator Chesney’s Week in Review

State Senator Andrew Chesney Named Prairie State Policy Champion by AFP-IL I am proud to announce that I was recently named a “Prairie State Policy Champion” by Americans for Prosperity–Illinois (AFP-IL), a conservative organization that promotes policy solutions rooted in the principles of freedom, limited government, and economic opportunity. The recognition honors lawmakers who consistently […]

State Senator Andrew Chesney Named Prairie State Policy Champion by AFP-IL

Americans for Prosperity–Illinois (AFP-IL), a conservative organization that promotes policy solutions rooted in the principles of freedom, limited government, and economic opportunity, has named State Senator Andrew Chesney (R-Freeport) a Prairie State Policy Champion. The recognition honors lawmakers who consistently advocate for transparent government, fiscal responsibility, and accountability in public service. Chesney received the award […]

Senator Chesney’s Week in Review

Recently, I had the opportunity to meet with law enforcement leaders at the Northwest Illinois Law Enforcement Executives Association (NILEEA) meeting in Freeport. Meetings like these are incredibly important, because hearing directly from the men and women who put their lives on the line every day helps me understand what they need to keep our […]

A 4:00 AM Public Transit Bailout That Robs Peter to Pay Paul

In the early morning hours of October 31, while most Illinoisans were asleep, legislative Democrats pushed through a sweeping overhaul of the state’s public transit system. The 1,000+ page bill was passed at 4:00 AM, without a single committee hearing or opportunity for public input. The timing alone should raise alarms, but the substance of […]

Senator Chesney Reacts to U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen’s Politically-Motivated Vote to Keep Government Shut Down

Following a recent vote by House Rep. Eric Sorensen to attempt to prolong the federal government shutdown, Illinois State Senator Andrew Chesney (R-Freeport) released the following statement: “Tonight, Eric Sorensen, the Democrat representing Illinois’ 17th Congressional District, spat in the face of northwestern Illinoisans. With his vote to attempt to keep the government shutdown alive, […]

Senator Andrew Chesney’s Week in Review

Democrats Wait Until After Elections to End Government Shutdown Over the weekend, there was movement within the U.S. Senate to end the stalemate and reopen the federal government. It came as no surprise to me that Washington Democrats waited until after last week’s elections to decide the shutdown had gone on long enough. Upon hearing […]

Senator Chesney’s Week in Review

Democrats Push Through Woke and Expensive Agenda During Final Day of Veto Session The 2026 fall veto session was the most expensive and reckless I have ever seen. While most Illinoisans were asleep during the overnight hours of October 30-31, Springfield Democrats rammed through over $10 billion in new taxes and fees to fund their […]

Senator Chesney’s Week in Review

Working Families Could Face $1.5 Billion Tax Hike in Second Week of Veto Legislators are back in Springfield this week for the final three days of the fall veto session. As I mentioned in my last newsletter, Democrats are pushing a plan that could cost Illinois families up to $1.5 billion more each year to […]