Jessica Dixon Heitman has won a full term representing Illinois’ 97th House District, holding onto the suburban Chicago seat she inherited earlier this year after her predecessor resigned amid a sexual harassment scandal. The Associated Press called the race for the Plainfield Democrat, who faced Republican nominee Gabby Shanahan of Joliet in a district long considered one of the state’s few genuine toss-ups.
Early returns showed Dixon Heitman with a commanding lead, though the exact margin varied by outlet. According to Patch, she had captured 21,494 votes, or 61.1%, to Shanahan’s 13,711 votes, or 38.9%, with the Associated Press having counted about 82% of expected votes. The Chicago Tribune, meanwhile, put the unofficial tally at 61.7% to 38.3% with 78% of estimated votes counted. Both outlets stressed the results remained unofficial pending certification by election authorities, and Shanahan conceded the race just after 10 p.m.
Dixon Heitman was appointed to the seat in July after then-state Rep. Harry Benton resigned amid misconduct allegations made by three women, and Tuesday’s win means she will now serve a full two-year term beginning in January, as the Chicago Sun-Times reported. She is a granddaughter of former U.S. Sen. Alan Dixon, a detail that has followed her into the office. In a statement captured by the Sun-Times, she said she had to prove herself from the beginning and was excited to continue working for the district.
A District Shaped by Benton’s Downfall
The 97th District spans most of Plainfield, part of Joliet, and smaller portions of Aurora, Naperville, Bolingbrook, Oswego and Shorewood, a sprawling suburban footprint that has made it genuinely competitive in recent cycles. Benton himself won his two prior races against Republicans by margins under five percentage points, a fact that underscored just how closely this seat has been watched for years…