Harry Benton Wins Reelection In 97th District Race, AP Projects

PLAINFIELD, IL — Voters reelected Democratic incumbent Harry Benton as the representative of Illinois's 97th District, the Associated Press projected.

Republican challenger and first-time runner Gabby Shanahan was unable to unseat him.

As of 9:40 a.m. Wednesday, with 96 percent of votes counted, Benton had 24,571 votes, or 52.1 percent of total votes, to Shanahan's 22,546 votes, or 47.9 percent.

Benton claimed in second term in the Illinois House of Representatives. When Benton was elected to his first term as state representative in 2022, he overtook Republican candidate Michelle Smith's 48.3 percent of votes with 51.7 percent of his own. He first ran for the 97th District seat in 2020, losing to Republican Mark Batinick by about 2,500 votes.

District 97 represents more than 108,000 residents, as of the 2020 census. The district covers a majority of Plainfield as well as parts of Joliet, Shorewood, Naperville and Oswego.

RELATED: Benton, Shanahan Eye District 97 House Seat: IL Election 2024

Self-described as "a different kind of Democrat," Benton served as a trustee on the Plainfield Village Board from 2019 to 2023. He was an "outspoken voice for government transparency, supported local small businesses, meaningful economic development, and held the line on taxes while also fighting to lower them while improving local infrastructure," reads his candidate website.

Shanahan ran against him, fighting "for taxpayers who deserve a voice in their government." An executive assistant for a nonprofit, she is a Plainfield Central High School alumna.

According to her candidate website, Shanahan planned to stand with taxpayers, not special interests, to "hold the line on tax increases," citing corruption as the reason for Illinois being one of the highest-taxed states in the country. When it came to reproductive rights, she said it's up to voters, not politicians, to make decisions about abortions.