Incumbent
Sean Casten
Incumbent Democratic candidate for U.S. House in Illinois
$307.98
NOV 7, 2026
General Election
Voters choose the office holder.
Live Odds
Current prediction-market probability for the candidate, updated as market prices change.
Sean Casten is trading at 99% to win the IL-06 House winner? on prediction markets.
Candidate Overview
Key details about the candidate’s background, party, office sought and current campaign.
Current roleU.S. Representative
PartyDemocratic
Political ideologyModerate Democrat
Age54 years old (Nov 23, 1971)
GenderMale
Show moreShow less
LocationIllinois
BackgroundU.S. Representative (Illinois' 6th District)
EducationMiddlebury College — B.A., Molecular Biology and Biochemistry (1993)
Notable personal detailsSean Thomas Casten is a U.S. Representative from Illinois' 6th congressional district, first elected in 2018 and serving in Congress since 2019. He has worked as a clean energy entrepreneur and executive, including as president and CEO of Turbosteam Corporation and as a co-founder of Recycled Energy Development. He earned a B.A. from Middlebury College and two master's degrees from Dartmouth College's Thayer School of Engineering. He serves on the House Financial Services Committee and the Joint Economic Committee.
SourcesShowHide
Political Positions
Economy & Taxes
Supports undoing the 2017 Republican tax cuts and restoring tax provisions (such as the SALT deduction) that benefit state and local taxpayers; favors targeted tax incentives for businesses rather than broad corporate rate cuts and opposes extending large tax cuts for the wealthiest. Also advocates eliminating fossil fuel subsidies as part of economic policy reform.
Healthcare
Supports protecting and strengthening the Affordable Care Act and expanding access to affordable health coverage; advocates lowering prescription drug costs and increasing access to mental health services. Does not explicitly endorse Medicare for All in the cited materials but frames universal, quality, affordable health care as a right while pushing for ACA expansion and programmatic reforms.
Show moreShow less
Immigration & Border
Supports comprehensive immigration reform including pathways to citizenship, defends access to asylum and due process, and opposes mass deportation and punitive enforcement measures. Advocates federal resources and humane management for migrant arrivals and has voted against legislation he views as stripping due process from immigrants.
Abortion & Reproductive Rights
Supports codifying and protecting a national right to abortion and opposes restrictive abortion bans. Sponsors and cosponsors federal legislation to enshrine abortion protections (including the Women’s Health Protection Act) and supports removing federal funding restrictions that limit access to abortion care.
Climate & Energy
Supports strong, science-based climate action and major clean energy investment, advocates pricing carbon (cap-and-trade) and removing barriers to rapid deployment of emissions-reducing technologies, while expressing pragmatic caution about sweeping proposals like the Green New Deal. Has introduced and cosponsored legislation on emissions reporting, energy efficiency, and carbon-cap mechanisms and has repeatedly pushed for stronger EPA and DOE action.
Public Safety & Guns
Supports stronger gun-safety laws including strengthening/expanding background checks and bans on assault-style weapons, and has sponsored legislation to reduce gun trafficking and unsafe storage. Advocates for federal actions to keep firearms out of the hands of dangerous individuals and to curb proliferation of illegal gun-conversion devices.
Latest News
Sean Casten is in the news mainly because he is running in Illinois’ 6th Congressional District, where recent primary coverage says he is emphasizing climate change while challengers are focused on affordability and economic issues. He also joined other Illinois Democrats in boycotting President Trump’s State of the Union address. More broadly, he has been mentioned in coverage of Illinois redistricting and Democratic support for guaranteed income programs, but those reports are less directly about him.
What’s the top issue facing Illinois’ 6th Congressional District? Casten, challengers disagree
Multiple Illinois lawmakers boycotting State of the Union this week
What time is the State of the Union address tonight? How to watch
What time is the State of the Union tomorrow?
Campaign Fundraising
Latest report: Cycle 2026Campaign finance totals from the latest available reporting period.
2022
2024
2026
LatestCycle 2022
Cycle 2024
Cycle 2026
Source: FEC
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
- Polls
- Endorsements