The race for disgraced former state Rep. Harry Benton’s 97th District seat is one of the most closely watched Statehouse races in the 2026 election.
Democratic state Rep. Jessica Dixon Heitman, 43, was appointed to fill the seat after Benton resigned. She’s a lobbyist and the granddaughter of the late U.S. Sen. Alan Dixon, and has received much criticism as the Democratic Party’s hand-selected candidate. She also has faced scrutiny over her time working in Benton’s office, where she worked as a contract employee alongside the young female staffer who reported inappropriate behavior by Benton. “We don’t just need to change the culture in Springfield. We need stronger laws and a process people can trust,” she told us. She signaled openness to House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch’s millionaire tax and opposition to a constitutional amendment for pension reform.
Her opponent, Republican Gabby Shanahan, 35, is a smart, tough fiscal conservative who earned our endorsement when she last ran for this seat in 2024, losing a close race to Benton. She’s solid on ethics reform and empowering the legislative watchdog, and does not mince words when it comes to her opponent, pointing out that Dixon Heitman has received hundreds of thousands of dollars
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from Speaker Welch’s political operation, which spent about $1.4 million supporting Benton’s 2024 reelection.Shanahan’s platform addresses the need to improve the electronic monitoring system while supporting policies that enable people convicted of crimes to find meaningful work once they’ve served their time, a sensible position. Most importantly, she’s an opponent of new taxes, vowing instead to address the steep burden taxpayers here face. Illinois needs a clean break from Benton.
Gabby Shanahan is endorsed.
Read all of the Tribune Editorial Board’s endorsements for the 2026 Illinois general election here.
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