Sean Casten

Sean Casten
Born	Sean Thomas Casten 23 11, 1971
Birthplace	Dublin, Ireland
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician, businessman
Known for	U.S. Representative for Illinois's 6th congressional district
Children	2 (1 deceased)
Website	[casten.house.gov Official site]

Sean Thomas Casten (born November 23, 1971) is an American businessman and politician who has served as the U.S. representative for Illinois's 6th congressional district since January 3, 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, Casten first won election to Congress in 2018, defeating six-term Republican incumbent Peter Roskam in a district that had long been considered a Republican stronghold. The district, which was redrawn following the 2020 United States census, encompasses southwestern Chicago and many of the city's inner southwestern suburbs, including Downers Grove, Wheaton, Lisle, Orland Park, and Western Springs. Before entering politics, Casten built a career in the clean energy industry, founding and leading companies focused on combined heat and power technologies and waste-heat recovery. His background as a clean energy entrepreneur has shaped much of his legislative agenda in Congress, where he has focused on energy policy, climate change, and environmental regulation. Born in Dublin, Ireland, and raised in the United States, Casten is a member of the New Democrat Coalition.

Early Life

Sean Thomas Casten was born on November 23, 1971, in Dublin, Ireland. His father, Tom Casten, was a prominent figure in the energy industry who worked extensively in the combined heat and power sector. The elder Casten's career and advocacy for decentralized energy production would later influence Sean Casten's own professional trajectory and political interests.

Casten was raised in the United States and developed an early interest in science and engineering. His upbringing in a family connected to the energy sector exposed him to discussions about energy efficiency, environmental policy, and the intersection of business and technology. These formative experiences contributed to his later decision to pursue a career in clean energy before transitioning into public service.

Career

Clean Energy Business

Before entering politics, Casten spent more than two decades working in the clean energy industry. He became a notable advocate for combined heat and power (CHP) technology and waste-heat recovery systems, which capture energy that would otherwise be lost in industrial and power generation processes.

Casten served as the president and CEO of Recycled Energy Development, a company that specialized in converting waste energy from industrial processes into usable electricity and thermal energy. In a 2014 interview, Casten explained the rationale behind combined heat and power technology, describing it as an efficient means of reducing energy waste and lowering carbon emissions from the power sector.

His work in the waste-heat recovery field attracted coverage from multiple national publications. National Geographic reported on the broader potential of converting waste heat into electric power, a field in which Casten's company operated. Greentech Media profiled the waste-heat-to-power industry's potential, examining whether waste heat could become a larger contributor to the energy mix than solar power. Fortune also covered developments in the field, reporting on emerging technologies for harvesting waste heat, a sector connected to Casten's professional work.

Casten's business career provided him with expertise in energy policy and regulation that would become central to his political platform. His experience navigating federal and state energy markets, working with industrial clients, and advocating for policy reforms to support distributed energy resources informed his later legislative priorities in Congress.

2018 Congressional Campaign

In 2018, Casten entered the race for Illinois's 6th congressional district, which was then represented by six-term Republican incumbent Peter Roskam. The district, situated in the western suburbs of Chicago, had been represented by Republicans for decades. However, the district had voted for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election, making it one of the Republican-held seats that Democrats targeted in the 2018 midterm elections.

Casten ran as a clean energy businessman who could bring private-sector expertise and scientific knowledge to Congress. He was identified as one of several candidates with backgrounds in clean energy running for Congress in the 2018 cycle. His campaign focused on climate change, health care, and fiscal responsibility, themes that resonated with suburban voters in the district who had grown dissatisfied with the Republican Party during the first two years of the Trump administration.

The 2018 primary featured multiple Democratic candidates vying for the nomination in a district where Democrats had not been competitive for years. The Chicago Tribune covered the competitive primary race as part of its broader reporting on the Illinois primary elections. Casten won the Democratic primary and advanced to the general election against Roskam.

In the general election on November 6, 2018, Casten defeated Roskam, flipping the seat to the Democrats as part of a broader wave of Democratic victories in suburban districts nationwide. The Chicago Sun-Times reported on Casten's victory alongside that of Lauren Underwood, another Democratic newcomer who won in a neighboring Illinois district, as part of the Democratic "blue wave" in the 2018 midterms. The New York Times tracked the race as one of several competitive House contests that contributed to the Democratic takeover of the House of Representatives.

2020 Reelection

Casten won reelection to a second term in 2020, continuing to represent Illinois's 6th congressional district. His reelection campaign built on his first-term record, during which he had focused on energy and environmental policy, financial services regulation, and science-based policymaking.

2022 Election and Redistricting

Following the 2020 United States census, Illinois underwent redistricting, which significantly altered the boundaries of the 6th congressional district. The new map placed Casten in the same district as fellow Democratic Representative Marie Newman, who had represented Illinois's 3rd congressional district. This set up an incumbent-versus-incumbent primary contest in the 2022 Democratic primary.

The primary election was held on June 28, 2022, and Casten defeated Newman to secure the Democratic nomination for the redrawn 6th district.

In the November 8, 2022, general election, Casten faced Republican nominee Keith Pekau, the mayor of Orland Park. Casten won the general election, securing his third term in Congress.

Tenure in Congress

Since taking office on January 3, 2019, Casten has served in the U.S. House of Representatives as a member of the Democratic Party. He has been a member of the New Democrat Coalition, a caucus of centrist and moderate Democrats in the House.

Casten's legislative work has centered on energy and environmental policy, reflecting his pre-congressional career in the clean energy sector. He has introduced and supported legislation aimed at promoting energy efficiency, addressing climate change, and modernizing the nation's energy infrastructure.

Energy and Environmental Legislation

In February 2026, Casten introduced two bills aimed at improving energy efficiency. The Powering Productivity Act and the Modernizing EIA Tracking and Reporting to Increase Consistency Act (H.R. 7607) were designed to enhance energy efficiency standards and improve data collection and reporting by the Energy Information Administration.

Foreign Policy

In February 2026, Casten introduced the Ceasefire Compliance Act, legislation that would impose conditions on the use of U.S. weapons in Gaza and the West Bank. The bill was designed to align U.S. military assistance with American laws and interests, according to Casten's office. The bill was introduced with 25 original cosponsors, and the advocacy organization J Street welcomed the legislation, describing it as an important step toward accountability in U.S. arms transfers. The introduction of the bill was covered by international media outlets, including Anadolu Agency, which reported on the proposed conditions on U.S. arms use.

Opposition to the Trump Administration

In February 2026, Casten announced that he would not attend President Donald Trump's State of the Union address. He was among several Illinois Democratic members of Congress who chose to boycott the speech.

2026 Primary Challenge

As of early 2026, Casten faced a primary challenge from within the Democratic Party for the 2026 election cycle. The Daily Herald reported on the campaign of a challenger named Ruzevich, who was seeking the Democratic nomination for the 6th congressional district seat.

Personal Life

Sean Casten resides in Downers Grove, Illinois, within the 6th congressional district he represents. He and his wife have two children, one of whom is deceased.

Casten's father, Tom Casten, was a figure in the energy industry who worked on combined heat and power systems and advocated for decentralized energy production. The elder Casten's career influenced Sean's own professional path in the clean energy sector before he entered politics.

Recognition

Casten's 2018 victory over Peter Roskam was recognized as one of the notable results of the Democratic wave in the 2018 midterm elections. His defeat of the six-term incumbent in a traditionally Republican district was cited by multiple national media outlets as emblematic of the shift in suburban voting patterns during that election cycle.

His background as a clean energy entrepreneur distinguished him among the incoming class of Democratic representatives in 2019. Casten was one of several candidates with professional experience in the clean energy sector who won election to Congress in 2018, a trend noted by political observers and energy policy commentators.

His legislative work on energy efficiency and climate-related policy has continued to draw attention from energy industry publications and advocacy organizations throughout his tenure in Congress.

Electoral History

Casten's electoral record in Illinois's 6th congressional district includes:

• 2018: Defeated Republican incumbent Peter Roskam in the general election.
• 2022 Primary: Defeated fellow Democratic incumbent Marie Newman following redistricting.
• 2022 General: Defeated Republican nominee Keith Pekau, mayor of Orland Park.

External Links

• Official congressional website
• Congressional profile at Congress.gov
• Campaign finance data at the Federal Election Commission
• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress