Freshman Rep. Greg Casar earned the title of fastest man in Congress in this year’s soggy American Council of Life Insurers Capital Challenge. The Texas Democrat took the crown in a rain-soaked course east of the Anacostia River, replacing speedster Mike Gallagher, who resigned from the House in April.
Had Gallagher stayed around, the former Republican congressman would have needed to pick up the pace. Casar ran the 3-mile race in 19 minutes, 33 seconds — faster than Gallagher’s previous times from 2022 and 2023.
Casar, 35, was a former standout track and field runner at Houston’s Strake Jesuit College Preparatory school but said he hasn’t run competitively since then. His athletic pursuits now include rock climbing and preparing for the Congressional Baseball Game. He was a late entry in the annual run, which drew more than 500 people on Wednesday morning from all branches of the government, as well as members of the news media.
Full disclosure: CQ Roll Call was an official media sponsor, and this reporter competed in the race, in addition to running after government officials for quotes after it concluded.
