9:30 p.m.In preliminary results released Tuesday evening, incumbent 7th District Assemblywoman Noreen Evans, D-Santa Rosa, led the state Assembly race by a huge margin, 36 percentage points, over Republican rival Doris Gentry of Napa.

Evans said she will be honored to again serve the 7th District, which in addition to Napa County, also includes portions of Solano and Sonoma counties.

“I’m really excited and very happy,” she said. “I’m so thrilled that my constituents are going to send me back for another term — at least, it appears that way, early on.”

Evans elaborated on the top priorities she plans to address if elected.

“Trying to balance the state budget will be number one. ... (And) foster care will continue to be one of my highest priorities,” she said, adding that she will continue to advocate for the state’s wine industry.

First elected to the state Assembly in 2004, Evans works on several Assembly committees — including the Committees on Budget, Government Organization, Judiciary, and Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials, the Select Committees on Foster Care and Mobile Homes and the Budget Subcommittee on Natural Resources. She also chairs the Assembly Democratic caucus and the Select Committee on Wine.

If elected, Evans would be the chair of the powerful Assembly Budget Committee next term.

Evans’ opponent, Doris Gentry, is a Napa businesswoman who has not held elective office.