Mill Creek mom Jessica Breugelmans to seek DeWitte’s seat

Former school board candidate for Geneva School District 304, Jessica Breugelmans, announced her campaign for the state Senate, seeking state Sen. Don DeWitte’s seat in the 33rd District.

Dewitte, R-St. Charles, announced he will not seek reelection but will serve to the end of his term in January 2027. The 33rd Senate District extends from portions of St. Charles and Geneva, to Plato Township, north to Carpentersville, Lake in the Hills, Algonquin to Crystal Lake.

Breugelmans, who lives in the Mill Creek subdivision in Blackberry Township, ran an unsuccessful bid for school board in 2019. She will seek the Republican nomination in the March 17, 2026, general primary election, in the hope of running in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election.

Breugelmans called herself “a philanthropist, former teacher and unapologetic voice for parents and taxpayers,” in a news release.

“I’m running because Illinois families are getting crushed,” Breugelmans said. “While they stretch every dollar to afford groceries, electric bills, and school supplies, politicians in Springfield keep demanding more – more taxes, more spending and bigger government. And they expect working families to foot the bill. I’m running to put a stop to it.”

Breugelmans also described herself in the release as “a small businesswoman and fierce advocate for working families.”

Her campaign announcement takes Gov. JB Pritzker, his allies and a coalition of progressive groups to task for pushing “more than $6 billion in new taxes,” including a proposed $1.50 delivery tax, and service taxes on haircuts, childcare and car repairs.

The 2026 budget bill passed with $700 million in new taxes. The delivery tax and service taxes were discussed but not included in the state’s 2026 budget, which Pritzker signed June 16.

Breugelmans said she’s equally focused on education, according to the release.

With a master’s degree in teaching, years of classroom and consulting experience, and time spent homeschooling her own son, according to Breugelmans’ release, she “knows what’s at stake when schools shut parents out.”

“I’ve been on the front lines as a teacher, as a parent and as a watchdog, ” Breugelmans said in the release. “I’ve seen how top-down decisions and red tape have pushed parents out and left families in the dark. I will demand accountability, restore transparency, and make sure parents have a real voice in their children’s education.”

Breugelmans said she supports fairness in girls’ sports.

“Girls deserve to compete on a level playing field,” Breugelmans said in the release. “That is why I support keeping girls’ sports for biological females. This is not political. It is about protecting opportunity.”

Drawing on her own experience as a former competitive gymnast and coach, she said she learned many lessons from sports. Breugelmans previously worked as the academic coordinator for the Chicago Steel hockey team and remains active in local charitable and educational causes.

When Kane County Undersheriff Amy Johnson announced in April that she was seeking the Democratic nomination for Sheriff, Breugelmans assisted.

“Amy and I are friends, but I have never held a position on Amy’s campaign,” Breugelmans said in an email.

Johnson clarified that Breugelmans helped her at the beginning of her campaign and at her campaign kickoff fundraiser May 14, but never held a position.

With Johnson running for office as a Democrat and Breugelmans running as a Republican, she is no longer assisting the undersheriff with her campaign.

“She helped me with scheduling ... and at my campaign kick-off, and after that, nothing more,” Johnson said. “Obviously, I wish her the best of luck, but she is not working on my campaign.”