Greg Casar

Greg Casar
Born	Gregorio Eduardo Casar 4 5, 1989
Birthplace	Houston, Texas, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician
Known for	Chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus; member of the Austin City Council (2015–2022)
Education	University of Virginia (BA)
Website	[casar.house.gov Official site]

Gregorio Eduardo Casar (born May 4, 1989) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative from Texas's 35th congressional district since January 2023. A member of the Democratic Party, Casar previously served on the Austin City Council representing District 4 from 2015 to 2022, where he became one of the youngest council members in the city's history. Before entering elected office, Casar worked as a labor organizer in Austin, Texas, an experience that shaped his political focus on workers' rights, criminal justice reform, and immigration policy. In Congress, he has been identified as a member of the Squad, a group of progressive House Democrats, and in January 2025 he became chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, succeeding Pramila Jayapal. Casar was endorsed by the Working Families Party during his initial run for Congress in 2022. In August 2025, following the release of new congressional redistricting maps in Texas, Casar announced he would seek reelection in the newly drawn 37th congressional district rather than his current 35th district.

Early Life

Greg Casar was born Gregorio Eduardo Casar on May 4, 1989, in Houston, Texas. He grew up in the Houston area, where he attended Strake Jesuit College Preparatory, a private Catholic high school. As a student at Strake Jesuit, Casar participated in cross-country running, competing at the state level. His family's background as Mexican-American immigrants informed his later political interests, particularly around immigration and labor issues.

After completing high school, Casar enrolled at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. While at the university, Casar became involved in progressive organizing and advocacy. He engaged in campaigns related to fair wages and labor rights during his time in Charlottesville.

Following his graduation, Casar relocated to Austin, Texas, where he began working as a labor organizer. His organizing work focused on wage protections and workers' rights in the Austin area, and this experience served as the foundation for his eventual entry into electoral politics. By his mid-twenties, Casar had established himself within Austin's progressive political community, setting the stage for his 2014 campaign for the newly created District 4 seat on the Austin City Council.

Education

Casar attended Strake Jesuit College Preparatory in Houston, Texas, for his secondary education. He subsequently attended the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. During his time at the university, Casar became involved in advocacy around living wage campaigns, an experience he later cited as formative to his political career.

Career

Austin City Council (2015–2022)

In 2014, Casar ran for the newly established District 4 seat on the Austin City Council. The seat was created as part of Austin's transition from an at-large council system to a 10-district geographic representation model. Casar won the election and took office on January 6, 2015, becoming one of the youngest members of the council. He was subsequently reelected in 2016 and again in 2020. His tenure on the council, which lasted until February 4, 2022, was marked by a series of policy initiatives centered on criminal justice reform, labor protections, policing, and immigration.

Fair Chance Hiring

One of Casar's early legislative accomplishments on the Austin City Council was his role in advancing "fair chance hiring" policies. Austin became the first city in the southern United States to adopt a "ban the box" ordinance, which restricted employers from asking about criminal history on initial job applications. The policy was designed to reduce barriers to employment for individuals with criminal records.

Criminal Justice and Policing

Casar was a prominent voice on policing and criminal justice issues throughout his time on the council. He publicly called attention to racial disparities in law enforcement data, which led to a public dispute with the head of the Austin Police Association.

In 2017, Casar authored an opinion piece arguing that Austin's youth curfew ordinance disproportionately affected Black and Latino youth. His advocacy contributed to the Austin City Council's decision to end the city's youth curfew, a move covered by national media outlets, with The Guardian reporting on the racial bias concerns that drove the policy change.

Casar also played a role in the debate over the Austin Police Department's budget. Following national protests over police violence in 2020, the Austin City Council voted to redirect a portion of the police department's funding. Texas Monthly covered Casar's involvement in the Austin police defunding debate.

In terms of misdemeanor enforcement, policy changes advocated by Casar and others on the council contributed to a significant reduction in misdemeanor arrests for minor offenses. The Austin American-Statesman reported that ticket-worthy misdemeanor arrests in Austin had declined by nearly two-thirds.

Police Contract Negotiations

The negotiation of the Austin police contract was a contentious and prolonged process during Casar's tenure. In 2017, activists and council members, including Casar, weighed the terms of the police contract as the city began new negotiations. In June 2018, a divided council rejected a proposal for additional police pay, reflecting the contentious nature of the negotiations. By November 2018, the council unanimously approved a new police contract that also established an Office of Police Oversight, a key demand of reform advocates including Casar.

Immigration Policy

Casar was vocal in opposing cooperation between local law enforcement and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). He supported efforts to limit Austin's collaboration with the federal immigration enforcement agency, a stance covered by The Nation, which reported on cities canceling contracts with ICE.

Response to 2016 Presidential Election

Following the election of Donald Trump as president in November 2016, Casar was among the Austin officials who responded publicly. He issued a statement on the election outcome, as reported by the Austin Chronicle. Hundreds of Austin residents gathered to protest Trump's election, an event covered by KUT.

Election Challenges

Casar's initial 2014 election was subject to a legal challenge. Laura Pressley filed an election contest disputing the results, but the Texas Supreme Court rejected the challenge in January 2019, affirming Casar's election.

U.S. House of Representatives (2023–present)

In 2022, Casar ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in Texas's 35th congressional district, succeeding Lloyd Doggett, who had been redistricted to a different seat. Casar won the election with support from the Working Families Party and other progressive organizations. He took office on January 3, 2023.

In Congress, Casar has been identified as a member of the Squad, a group of progressive House Democrats who represent the furthest-left wing of the House Democratic Caucus. On January 3, 2025, he became chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, succeeding Pramila Jayapal of Washington state.

Disaster Preparedness and FEMA Oversight

Casar has been active on issues related to disaster preparedness, particularly as they affect Texas. In July 2025, Casar and Representative Jasmine Crockett of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform led an oversight push seeking answers on Texas floods and disaster preparedness.

In February 2026, Casar, joined by FEMA whistleblowers, called for the resignation or impeachment of Kristi Noem, the Secretary of Homeland Security, alleging that her budget and staffing cuts to FEMA were undermining disaster preparedness and relief efforts.

Immigration and ICE Enforcement

Continuing his advocacy on immigration issues from his time on the Austin City Council, Casar joined Representative Joaquin Castro in November 2025 in demanding answers from the Trump administration regarding an ICE raid in San Antonio.

International Human Rights

In December 2025, Casar co-led a letter with Representative Pramila Jayapal, signed by 42 members of Congress, demanding action in response to what they described as a worsening human rights crisis in Pakistan.

Redistricting and 2026 Campaign

In August 2025, new congressional redistricting maps were released for Texas. Casar stated that the new map threatened voting rights and was drawn under the influence of the Trump administration. NPR reported on Casar's assertion that the redistricting plan was designed to disadvantage Democrats.

On August 25, 2025, Casar announced that he would seek reelection in the newly drawn 37th congressional district, which encompassed much of the Austin area, rather than running again in the 35th district. He stated his intention to run in the new district if the map held up in court.

In an interview with Texas Monthly published in August 2025, Casar discussed his political outlook, arguing that Texas remained "up for grabs" and advocating for an economic populist approach as a strategy for Democrats in the state.

2026 State of the Union

In February 2026, Casar announced that he would skip President Trump's State of the Union address, instead planning to speak at a "People's State of the Union" event on the National Mall. KVUE quoted Casar as saying "spare us the speech" in reference to the president's address.

Personal Life

Casar is of Mexican-American heritage and was raised in Houston, Texas. He has spoken publicly about his family's immigrant background as a motivating factor in his political career, particularly on issues related to immigration and labor rights. After attending college in Virginia, he relocated to Austin, where he has resided since. Austin Monthly profiled Casar as a rising figure in Texas politics, noting his trajectory from community organizer to elected official.

Recognition

Casar has received attention from state and national media outlets throughout his career. Austin Monthly published a feature profiling him under the headline "Why Gregorio Casar Is the Future of Texas Politics." Texas Monthly profiled him in 2025 in the context of the Texas redistricting fight, and NPR covered his response to the new congressional maps.

His election as chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus in January 2025, succeeding Pramila Jayapal, placed him in a leadership position among progressive House Democrats. National coverage of his work on disaster preparedness, immigration enforcement, and international human rights has increased his profile within the Democratic caucus and among progressive organizations nationally.

On the Austin City Council, his work on the fair chance hiring ordinance, the youth curfew repeal, and police oversight reforms received coverage from outlets including The Guardian, The Texas Observer, The Nation, and the Austin Chronicle.