In 1998, Lightner started her political career running for an open seat in the Kansas Legislature. She ran for State Representative in the 29th District as an unknown Republican in Overland Park and won in an upset victory. She served three terms as a State Representative. Her mainstream conservative stance and voting record earned her the respect of her colleagues who elected her to Majority Whip her second term in office, (2000-2002). In her third term, she was appointed as the House Insurance Committee Chairman, (2002 -2004).

As the Insurance Committee Chairman, Patricia worked to reform healthcare for Kansans by moving through her committee and getting passed the Health Savings Account Act and the Model Credit Score Act. She also wrote and pushed through legislation for the Student Self Medication Act. Lightner’s reputation and votes in the Kansas House reflect a pro-growth, pro-family and pro-liberty record.

Prior to the State Legislature, Patricia spent six years in the federal government. She started her work in the public sector employed as an enforcement attorney with the Federal Aviation Administration. There she worked on hundreds of certificate actions cases as well as civil penalty cases involving airport security. Her work at the FAA provided Lightner experience on a facet of an issue we all have great concern with – national security. The rest of her experience in the federal government was with the Resolution Trust Corporation where as a litigation attorney she oversaw hundreds of property cases involving a half of dozen institutions assigned to her.