Newly elected Congressman Greg Casar to take city politics experience to Washington
Newly elected Congressman Greg Casar to take city politics experience to Washington
Former Austin City Councilman Greg Casar has taken a different approach than many Democratic elected leaders in Texas, focusing on societal inequities like income and access to healthcare. He won a seat representing Texas’ 35th Congressional District by campaigning alongside U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders and declaring the Democratic Socialist former presidential hopeful an inspiration for the next generation of progressive leaders.
Casar, 33, started his career in organized labor as a policy director for the Workers Defense Project, representing immigrant workers in the construction industry. He became the youngest person elected to Austin’s City Council in 2014, where he pushed for policies such as paid sick leave and changes to police funding.
His victory in the Congressional race comes as organized labor is trying to make a revival in Texas, with Casar easily defeating Republican Dan McQueen with 72.6% of the vote. His district encompasses part of south Austin, runs along Interstate 35 through San Marcos, and connects to northern San Antonio.
In an interview before the election, Casar discussed his plans to bring infrastructure and good union jobs to San Antonio, raise wages, and improve working conditions for the people in his district. He emphasized the importance of Democrats focusing on economic issues and being the party of working people to be successful in Texas.
Casar also expressed his belief that new, young, progressive members of Congress can make change regardless of the political circumstances, citing examples like Rep. Cori Bush staging a sit-in on the steps of the Capitol to extend an eviction moratorium.
As he prepares to take his city politics experience to Washington, Casar is determined to push a bold agenda, inspire people, and advance policies that help veterans, seniors, and those at risk of eviction. He aims to combat the reluctance from both parties’ leaders to create additional burdens for businesses by focusing on creating jobs that take care of families and taxing windfall profits and the wealth of billionaires.
With a clear focus on economic issues and a commitment to representing the working people in his district, Casar is poised to make a significant impact in Congress and bring a fresh perspective to Texas politics.
