Castro sails to victory in Senate 22 race

Incumbent Cristina Castro sailed to a decisive victory in Tuesday's Democratic primary for Illinois Senate District 22, according to unofficial results.

Castro had 13,110 votes while challenger Rae Yawer had 2,963 votes, with all precincts reporting in Kane County and 64 of 65 precincts reporting in Cook County.

Castro, of Elgin, is running for a second term. Yawer serves on the Streamwood Park District board.

The district's greatest need is alleviating property taxes, Castro said. She advocates limiting the extension of tax-increment financing districts, which freeze for up to 23 years the amount of property taxes funneled into local governments.

Castro supports a graduated income tax, which voters will decide on in November.

She was chief sponsor of a bill that consolidated more than 600 police and firefighter pensions into two statewide funds.

She serves on an ethics commission she pushed for, and said any redistricting proposal needs to be "very deliberate and careful."