About Margaret

Margaret Croake at a table with microphone

Prior to being elected to represent Illinois’ 12th legislative district, Margaret served as Deputy Chief of Staff for the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO). In that position, Margaret managed a multitude of projects on behalf of the Director and was a lead liaison to the Governor’s Office.

Margaret also served on Governor JB Pritzker’s transition team and was the statewide Women’s Outreach Director for Pritzker’s gubernatorial campaign. Margaret joined the campaign in June of 2017 and strategically networked with stakeholders, elected officials, community groups, and progressive organizations to promote JB’s candidacy.

She started her campaign for the Illinois House of Representatives in 2019 to fight for women, small business, and the LGBTQ+ community. She’s passionate about jump-starting our economy and helping Illinois attract new industries. Margaret’s previous experience gave her a wealth of knowledge on Illinois’ unique issues; that’s why she’s a strong advocate of sensible gun control measures, governmental ethics reform, and fair taxation. As the mother of three young children, she has become hyper involved in legislative issues impacting young families and is a vocal advocate for affordable childcare and maternal healthcare.

Margaret is a proud University of Michigan graduate where she earned her B.A. in Political Science and Communications. An Oak Park native, she currently lives in Lincoln Park with her husband Patrick, her three children PJ, Mary Pearl, and Hattie, and her two dogs Winston and Charlie, and a rotating cohort of foster dogs through ALIVE Rescue.

MC & PJ