Chris Balkema is the winner in the 53rd Illinois Senate District race.  Election results were still coming in Wednesday, but figures show Balkema with at least 52% of the Replubican vote in a four-person contest to replace the retiring Tom Bennett.  Balkema, froam Channahon,  has served as chairman of the Grundy County Board.  

Balkema outdistanced his opponents, Jesse Faber of Pontiac, Michael Kirkton from Gridley, and Susan Wynn Bence of Watseka.

On the campaign trail, Balkema said if elected, his priorities would be on cutting taxes and taking Grundy County’s non-sanctuary status and advocating to enact that at the state level.
Balkema declared victory before the race was called. . Opponents Kirkton and Wynn Bence, Balkema said, called him to concede Tuesday night.

“I want to thank my incredible volunteer team and express my immense gratitude for the faith Republican voters placed in me to be our next state senator,” Balkema said in a statement. “We have a lot of work to do in Springfield and I will work as hard as I have as Grundy county board chairman in bringing about conservative results.”

Balkema will now move on to the November ballot. No Democratic candidates filed to run in the 53rd Senate race.

Thirteen Central Illinois counties make up the 53rd Senate District, including Ford, Iroquois, and parts of Livingston,McLean, Grundy and Woodford counties.

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