Wendy Dant Chesser selected to fill vacated House seat

Rep.-elect Wendy Dant Chesser stands behind an Indiana Democratic Party-branded lectern. (Courtesy photo)

Party insiders on Wednesday unanimously selected Jeffersonville economic development leader Wendy Dant Chesser to fill a vacant state House seat, according to the Indiana Democratic Party.

She will take over for former Rep. Rita Fleming, who abruptly retired one week after an unopposed victory in this month’s primary election.

Dant Chesser also won a concurrent caucus to be the party’s candidate for House District 71 in the November general election. The district, which runs along the Ohio River, includes all of Jeffersonville and Clarksville, and part of New Albany.

State Rep. Fleming announces retirement one week after primary election

“I am immensely grateful for this opportunity to represent my community at the Statehouse. I will work vigorously to uplift the reputation of our area in Indianapolis,” Dant Chesser said in a news release.

She said she’d continue Fleming’s “bipartisan legacy” — and that of her predecessor, former Rep. Steve Stemler — of “getting results for Southern Indiana.”

Dant Chesser currently works as the chief director of corporate strategy and external affairs at the River Ridge Development Authority. She’s responsible for ensuring the business environment within Indiana and River Ridge replaces the economic loss suffered when the U.S. Army closed its operations at the site, according to the release.

Dant Chesser previously worked as president and CEO of 1si, the area’s chamber of commerce and local economic development organization.

“I am confident that I can walk into the legislature on Day One with the key relationships and experience necessary to reestablish credibility for my community so that we can continue our economic achievements,” she said.

“We must build economic prosperity for all families in Southern Indiana by attracting strong businesses and good jobs to our area. I will collaborate with educators to grow the pathways to lifelong learning, and use my experience to develop a workforce ready for the future,” Dant Chesser continued.

She holds a bachelor of science in business management from Indiana University Southeast. She and her daughter Joslyn live in Jeffersonville.

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