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Winger keeps seat in 45th House

Wood Dale Republican Christine Winger fended off her opponent Tuesday to win a second term representing the state's 45th House District.

With 107 of 108 precincts reporting, Winger secured 25,209 votes, or about 53.4 percent. Her opponent, Cynthia Borbas, a Carol Stream Democrat, collected 21,816 votes, or 46.2 percent, unofficial results from DuPage and Cook counties showed.

Winger, a freshman in the House and former Wood Dale alderman, faced a stiff challenge in Borbas, a political newcomer and owner of an IT consulting business for 13 years.

More than $2 million was poured into the race for the district that includes parts of Bartlett, Bloomingdale, Itasca, Roselle, West Chicago and Wood Dale.

Winger and Borbas offered different visions for shrinking a roughly $111 billion shortfall in the state's pension system.

Winger opposed increasing income taxes and supports shifting new public workers into a 401(k)-style retirement plan.

She argued business growth could help improve the state's credit rating. A better score could pave the way for a more favorable repayment plan if lawmakers chose to restructure the state's pension debt.

Borbas has sided with fellow Democrats in calls for increasing taxes on millionaires.

She made her first run at elected office in part because she said she's "fed up with career politicians."

Borbas also had pledged to turn down a state paycheck until lawmakers passed a budget. She said she would never accept pension and health care benefits as an elected official.

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