Democrat · Illinois's 6th District · 2026
Sean Casten
Casten is a rap fan who says he can spot himself in the crowd of an old Beastie Boys video.
Biography
Sean Casten remembers spotting himself in a Beastie Boys video filmed at a concert he attended.1 He and his wife, Kara, live in Downers Grove and are the parents of two daughters.2 Their daughter Gwen died in 2022 at 17.3
Casten earned a bachelor's degree in molecular biology and biochemistry at Middlebury College, then worked for two years in a Tufts medical school laboratory studying diet and cancer.4 He went on to earn two graduate degrees at Dartmouth's Thayer School of Engineering, in engineering management and biochemical engineering.5 His graduate research examined making ethanol from plant material and combining ethanol production with heat and power generation.5
His business career included energy consulting at Arthur D. Little and leading Turbosteam, which used energy recycling technology to generate heat and power from otherwise wasted energy.5 He later cofounded Recycled Energy Development, focused on recovering wasted energy and converting facilities to cleaner uses.5 Casten has represented the 6th District since 2019.6 He serves on the Financial Services and Joint Economic committees.5
His current priorities include the proposed Energy Bills Relief Act, which he is pursuing with Congressman Mike Levin to lower energy costs.7 On healthcare, Casten supports universal insurance coverage with private competition, stronger antitrust enforcement, patient choice and payments tied to health outcomes.6 He also calls for greater oversight of the Trump administration and reforms to reduce the influence of outside political money.6
Record and controversies
Recycled Energy Development business dispute
An investor's 2015 lawsuit named Casten and other managers of RED Parent, the parent of Recycled Energy Development, and alleged mismanagement and breaches of their obligations.8 The parties stipulated to dismiss that case with prejudice in September 2016, with each bearing its own costs and attorney fees; the dismissal filings make no finding on the allegations.8 A 2018 statement by Casten's opponent, reprinted by Capitol Fax, quoted Casten describing a hostile takeover attempt and an amicable outcome.9