I’ve been staying out of individual House races. However, this one is interesting to me as a physics major. Also, my friends Ed Witten and Chiara Nappi drew me in. A deal I couldn’t refuse…

The Democratic candidate is a physicist, Bill Foster. He is one of only three physicists to have ever served in Congress (the others were Vern Ehlers, R-MI, and Rush Holt, my own Congressman). Foster has been involved in research relating to the top quark and to the Supernova 1987A neutrino burst, and in his youth created a company that manufactures theater lighting equipment.

Foster is also a former Congressman from the Illinois 14th District. He is attempting to make a comeback against Judy Biggert (R), a longtime Congresswoman. Therefore their records can be compared directly, from the DREAM Act to Fermilab. They are running in the new 11th District, and this race is right on the edge. I’ll be seeing Foster today, along with Representative Holt, at our local Triumph Brewing Co. Here’s the invitation. (And here is Judy Biggert’s site.)