Democrats pick Jessica Dixon Heitman, late US senator’s granddaughter, to replace ex-state Rep. Harry Benton

A granddaughter of late U.S. Senator Alan Dixon was appointed Monday to a far southwest suburban Illinois House seat left vacant by two-term state Rep. Harry Benton, who resigned earlier this month in disgrace amid sexual harassment allegations.

Jessica Dixon Heitman, who briefly worked in the Plainfield Democrat’s district office in early 2023 shortly after he took office, was unanimously chosen by Democratic Party officials in Will and Kendall counties to fill the seat and serve as the party’s nominee in the November general election.

Heitman was sworn in before a crowd of about 30 to 40 people at a Plainfield community center, where she spoke about the need to strengthen ethics laws in Springfield, particularly around harassment investigations.

“As legislators, we have a responsibility to protect the targets of harassment from continuing abuse and possible retaliation. We also have a duty to our constituents to assure transparency and accountability, including consequences for any leaders who misuse their positions to harass women and men who are simply trying to do their jobs and serve the people of Illinois,” she said, drawing applause from the crowd.

While working as a contract employee in Benton’s office, Heitman worked with a young female staff member who detailed numerous harassment allegations against him, many of them of a sexual nature, to Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch’s office. Benton was not punished at the time. A Tribune investigation raised questions about how Welch’s office handled those allegations, which resurfaced this year when at least one other person came forward with other harassment allegations against Benton.

Those latest allegations spurred Welch earlier this year to strip Benton of House committee assignments and refer the claims to Legislative Inspector General Michael McCuskey’s office. McCuskey concluded his report earlier this month, sparking Welch to call for Benton’s resignation, which Benton did on July 3. Benton also withdrew his reelection bid after McCuskey issued his private report of Benton to the speaker’s office. The eight-member Legislative Ethics Commission, made up of Republican and Democratic lawmakers, is weighing whether to make the report public.

“Over the years, I’ve heard people say that we need to change the culture in Springfield. I believe the problem is not just the culture. It’s our inadequate laws that allow the toxic culture to flourish,” Heitman told the crowd. “I’ve lived in Plainfield with my husband and my three beautiful daughters for the better part of a decade. Honestly, it’s been painful to see the (legislative) district become notorious throughout our state because of the actions of our former representative.

“As I take on this new duty, I’m going to do everything I can to make sure our district builds the reputation it deserves, as a place that values community, ethics, stability, fiscal responsibility and justice,” Heitman said.

Beyond tougher ethics laws, Heitman said she wants to see public schools fully funded, ease the property tax burden on Illinois homeowners, advocate for workers’ rights and push for equity “to our broken healthcare system.”

Heitman is the granddaughter of Dixon, a downstate Democrat who represented Illinois in the U.S. Senate from 1981 to 1993. He earlier served as Illinois secretary of state and treasurer, along with lengthy stretches in the state House and Senate.

Heitman wore a pin in her grandfather’s honor at the community center on Monday. She said her interest in politics likely started when she was 3½ years old, when she “skipped down Michigan Avenue” in Chicago as Dixon — affectionately known as “Al the Pal” — campaigned for reelection.

“Hopefully I can recreate that picture with my girls, locally in Plainfield, obviously,” Heitman said in an interview after her public remarks.

Heitman has done staff work in both chambers of the Illinois General Assembly. She served as deputy press secretary for former Illinois Senate President John Cullerton. She most recently was president of Dixon/Heitman Collective, a communications firm.

Heitman was measured in discussing her brief tenure working for Benton.

“I worked for him for a short amount of time. It was not a great fit,” she said in an interview after her remarks. “The office environment was not something I felt was conducive to anything successful happening in the (legislative district) … It’s a hard thing to talk about.”

Heitman will face Republican Gabby Shanahan in the general election in November. Shanahan lost to Benton by a little over 2,300 votes in 2024.