In The Know

Texas Democrat becomes ‘fastest member of Congress’ with charity race win

Rep. Greg Casar, D-Texas, crosses the finish line at the ACLI Challenge race in Washington on Wednesday, May 15, 2024.

A Texas Democrat is boasting that he won his latest race — this one on foot.

Rep. Greg Casar smoked the congressional competition on Wednesday at the annual ACLI Capital Challenge in Washington. The 35-year-old lawmaker finished first among lawmakers with a time of 19:33 in the 3-mile race, according to the competition’s results

“Occasionally, ‘relative youth and inexperience’ serves you well in Washington,” Casar quipped in a statement.

“Democrats just won a CRITICAL race,” he wrote on X. “After 15 years of straight losses to the Republicans, Democrats just reclaimed the gold. I’m now officially the Fastest Member of Congress!” he added, sharing a smiling photo of himself holding a trophy.

The event, in its 42nd year, raises money for Junior Achievement USA. 


Some of the other members of Congress and high-profile figures who went toe-to-toe included Supreme Court Justices Brett Kavanaugh, Kentanji Brown Jackson and Amy Barrett, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Reps. Chris Pappas (D-N.H.), Greg Stanton (D-Ariz.), Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) and Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.) and Sens. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) and Mike Braun (R-Ind.).

Casar’s office said the congressman was the first Democrat to win the competition since 2008. Casar was a high school runner and took sixth place in the Texas state championship’s 1,600-meter race.