Richard S. Williamson, the White House chief of intergovernmental affairs under Ronald Reagan, deemed him "one of the most important Republicans in the Midwest".

[4] Philip was drafted into the United States Marine Corps at the onset of the Korean War, though he was not deployed overseas.

Philip defeated John L. Benzin, a former member of the DuPage County Board of Tax Review, in the Republican primary.

[18] In the 2001 decennial apportionment, the 23rd district lost its portions that were in Cook County and included all or parts of the localities of Bloomingdale, Roselle, Glendale Heights, Carol Stream, Glen Ellyn, Itasca, Addison, Wheaton, Winfield, Bensenville, Wood Dale, Elmhurst, Villa Park, and Lombard.

With backing from the gun lobby representing downstate hunters, Philip fought to reduce the penalty for illegal possession of firearms to a misdemeanor.

Philip expressed a preference for expanding this portion of the law to all gun-related crimes, not just safe retail zones.

State's attorneys in the six-county Chicago metropolitan area agreed with Philip's stance on gun crimes, but were mixed with regards to changes in the death penalty.

Many, including former Illinois gubernatorial candidate Dawn Clark Netsch, labeled him as both holding and vocally expressing racial prejudice.

Prosecutors asked about Philip's 50-year high school reunion—a 1999 $15,000 bash at Navy Pier set up by Scott Fawell.

[30]Also during the trial, prosecutors released a document including ten pages of favors granted to former Senate President Pate Philip.

[31] Philip spoke with Larry Hall, who wore a hidden recorder and taped the conversations as a part of an undercover government investigation.

[32] Philip was criticized for looking into the voter histories of students applying for legislative scholarships, which are funded by the taxpayers of Illinois.

[33] Philip, with backing from the gun lobby, fought to reduce the penalty for illegal possession of firearms to a misdemeanor.