Scott Kaspar

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Scott Kaspar

Republican Party

Elections and appointments

Last election

June 28, 2022

Education

Bachelor's

University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, 1998

Law

Drake University, 2003

Personal

Birthplace

Hinsdale, Ill.

Religion

Christian

Profession

Lawyer

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

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Campaign YouTube

Personal Facebook

Personal LinkedIn

Scott Kaspar (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent Illinois' 6th Congressional District. He lost in the Republican primary on June 28, 2022.

Kaspar completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Scott Kaspar was born in Hinsdale, Illinois. He earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign in 1998. He earned a law degree from Drake University in 2003. His career experience includes working as a lawyer and mechanical engineer. Kaspar is affiliated with the Heritage Foundation, Turning Point USA, and Sigma Tau Gamma Fraternity.

Elections

2022

See also: Illinois' 6th Congressional District election, 2022

General election

General election for U.S. House Illinois District 6

Incumbent Sean Casten defeated Keith Pekau and Arthur Jones in the general election for U.S. House Illinois District 6 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Sean Casten (D)	54.4	150,496
		Keith Pekau (R)	45.6	126,351
		Arthur Jones (Independent) (Write-in)	0.0	12

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 276,859
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Illinois District 6

Incumbent Sean Casten defeated incumbent Marie Newman and Charles Hughes in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Illinois District 6 on June 28, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Sean Casten	67.7	45,654
		Marie Newman	29.2	19,726
		Charles Hughes	3.1	2,085

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 67,465
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Illinois District 6

The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for U.S. House Illinois District 6 on June 28, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Keith Pekau	38.7	20,178
		Gary Grasso	27.2	14,150
		Niki Conforti	11.4	5,947
		Catherine A. O'Shea	10.1	5,243
		Scott Kaspar	6.9	3,573
		Rob Cruz	5.8	3,003

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 52,094
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• John Ostman (R)

Campaign themes

2022

Video for Ballotpedia

Video submitted to Ballotpedia Released Jan 25, 2022

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Scott Kaspar completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Kaspar's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I’m Scott Kaspar.

I’m not a politician. I’m an engineer, lawyer, father and husband. And I am a product of the wonderful and diverse communities within the 6th District that I call home.

For the past four generations, my family has made a home and a living here in the 6th District. My father fled communism to come here, to our district, to raise my family.

My wife, Beth, and I are proud to call the 6th District our home, where we earn a living, attend church, and send our children to school. We’ve lived the American Dream, and every resident of the 6th District deserves to have these same opportunities.

But the America my father came to – a great nation inspired by dreams of a better life for all – is fading away.

Crime is skyrocketing. Gas prices are soaring. Groceries have never been so expensive. Economic opportunities are farther and fewer. And tension in the world has never been greater.

I’m running for Congress so that my children and your children and the next generation will be able to realize the wonderful opportunities that I had and our district will be a safe place to live, to work, and to raise a family.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• We must have greater Security in our communities. I formed a Public Safety Task Force, chaired by former New York City Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik, to better support local law enforcement and to find real solutions to rising crime in our area.
• We must have greater Affordability in our daily lives, to bring down the cost of gas and groceries and to counteract the devastating impact inflation has had on families.
• We must have better Education and educational choices for parents and for our children. We need to prioritize STEM, or science and math disciplines, and provide more opportunities for non-college-track students.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

For the past two years, Democrat elected officials have talked a lot about saving lives.

But they ignore the lives of innocent men and women and children on Chicago’s south and west sides, who are dying in the streets of Chicago because Democrat elected officials like Cook County States’ Attorney Kim Foxx refuse to prosecute crimes.

Crime no longer is contained to the south and west sides. Crime is spilling from the City to north side, to the west side, and out to the western suburbs, including places 40 minutes from the city, such as where I live in Orland Park.

And it’s by design. George Soros has funded prosecutors like Kim Foxx and Eric Rinehart to sow chaos throughout out country. Some have called on Kim Foxx to resign, but that misses the point: Kim Foxx is not incompetent, she is doing exactly what her supporters funded her to do.

That’s why I started a Public Safety Task Force, chaired by Bernard Kerik, former NYC Police Commissioner who is helping me to develop the plan I will take on Day 1 in Congress to restore law and order to our communities.

We are exploring ways of using the power of the purse to bring Blue State governors like JB Pritzker to the table and tell them: You want funding, then get control of crime. Make Soros-funded prosecutors like Kim Foxx do their jobs, or fire and replace them with those who will.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

My greatest inspiration is my father Val, a Latvian immigrant who along with his siblings, risked everything to escape the Soviet Union to arrive in America with only what he could wear or carry. He taught me many of the values that I hold dear, including the value of hard work, and instilled in me an understanding that our Freedom is not free and that it must be protected.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

Yes, the United States Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the Declaration of Independence.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Hard work and civility are most important. This is not a popularity contest, and we do not need any more social media influencers. The success of our country, and not one's success on Tik Tok, must be the focus. We have incredible challenges facing America right now and we must roll up our sleeves and figure out solutions fast.

But we must do so with civility. We owe it to the American People to have real, honest debates on policies.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I am hard working and analytical to deal with challenges, to dissect them, and to find and assess solutions. At the same time, I have an ability to relate to most anyone, to listen to their concerns, and to discern and communicate shared goals and interests.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

The utmost responsibility of a Representative is to listen to the concerns of the People. I intend to be accessible and approachable for our constituents. Representatives also must be committed to hard work on their committees, and that includes putting in the time for phone calls and fundraising events.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I am not interested in leaving a legacy. I am interested in leaving America better than I found it. America has been a bright shining city on a hill for my family. We need to keep the American Dream from fading.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

The first historical event that happened in my lifetime that I saw on TV and really understood was the explosion of the Space Shuttle Challenger in 1986. I was in the 4th Grade at that time, about 11 years old. My 4th Grade teacher had applied to be on the Challenger and apparently got far in that application process. I remember how distraught our class was over the explosion and the death of teacher Christa McAuliffe. The Challenger explosion took place at a time when I was aware of current news and our role in this world. I knew it was a devastating moment for that crew and the families of those crew members. But I also knew it was a huge setback in our space exploration program, which in many ways demonstrated to the world the strength of the United States over the then-Soviet Union. I remember just as vividly the prime time address that President Reagan gave to the nation in the aftermath of the Challenger explosion. It was one of President Reagan's finest speeches, that portrayed the grave realities of the Challenger explosion while at the same time instilling a quiet confidence in our country and the American spirit.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My first job was working for my father as a painter. I began the summer after my freshman year of high school. My father managed a manufacturing facility, and I went to work painting everything from office space to locker rooms to chemical storage tanks. I held that job during school breaks and summers all through high school.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

U2's song "Forty." A song that was popular when I was a child, it is one that I often sang to my children at bedtime (and still occasionally sing to my son at bedtime). The lyrics of the song borrow from Psalm 40. For me, it is a song of hope, and the chorus easily sticks in my head.

What qualities does the U.S. House of Representatives possess that makes it unique as an institution?

It is a representative body that truly gives voice to the People. In some ways, that makes it uniquely American. But it is under attack. The Democrat-controlled legislature in Illinois has produced a new congressional district map so unbelievably gerrymandered that people in the same small towns fall in separate districts and people in Chicago oftentimes are in the same district as people 50 miles away. Fortunately, there is a real opportunity with the Sixth Congressional District to win the district back to Republican control and hold the district for the next decade.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in government or politics?

Not at all. We have hundreds of legislators in Congress who are career politicians that have been in DC for decades. And what do we have to show for that? Thirty Trillion Dollars of Debt. Skyrocketing inflation. Weak foreign policy. No borders. It is time for a change, to retire the politicians and to promote decent, hard-working Americans to fix our federal government once and for all.

What do you perceive to be the United States’ greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

Our greatest challenge is dealing with China.

If you are not a current representative, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?

Yes, I have interest in the Small Business committee and the Science, Space & Technology committee.

I own a couple small businesses, one of which was shut down for 4 months in 2020 by JB Pritzker's mandate and operated under painful restrictions for 18 months thereafter. I know first hand the challenges of running and owning small business. Small business is the backbone of our economy, and in Congress, I will fight to remove regulations, cut corporate taxes, and unleash the American small business owner.

I have a mechanical engineering degree, worked two years as an engineer, and have spent the past 18 years as a patent attorney, working with scientists and engineers. America is facing many technological challenges right now with energy production and consumption, and it is time that we prioritize scientific research and technology development in America by Americans. We also must prioritize STEM disciplines in our schools, so that our children and the next generation will be competitive on the world stage and we will continue to employ Americans as engineers and scientists in America.

If you are a current representative, why did you join your current committees?

N/A

Do you believe that two years is the right term length for representatives?

It is the right length for a term, but what we need is term limits. I believe Congress should invoke term limits for Representatives to be no more than 3 two-year terms, and no more than 2 six-year terms for Senators.

What are your thoughts on term limits?

I am completely in favor of term limits. I will form a coalition of like-minded Representatives in Congress to push for term limits.

Is there a particular representative, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

I share conservative views with a number of Representatives. Jim Jordan and Byron Donalds are examples that come to mind, though there are others. In Congress, I will work tirelessly for the People. We need less social media influencers in Congress and more workhorses.

Both sitting representatives and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

Meeting people and hearing their stories has been the silver lining to the otherwise arduous process of campaigning. I have heard dozens of stories that have touched my heart. I have met many people who are struggling to make ends meet right now in this present economy with soaring gas and food costs. Probably the most touching story I've heard on the campaign trail was that from a WWII veteran - part of the Greatest Generation - who shared with me stories of his life after the war and his love for America. We must never forget that America is great not because of what we have, but what we do.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

I believe that negotiation is a necessary part of policymaking. Negotiation does not always mean compromising, though compromising is a tool in the negotiation toolbox that can be appropriate in the right circumstances. I am a lawyer who negotiates for the best interests of clients every day, and in Congress, I will be negotiating for the best interests of my constituents.

The Constitution says that all bills for raising revenue must originate in the House. What role would this power play in your priorities if elected?

The House needs to have meaningful, deliberate discussions on spending bills. We cannot afford another 3000-page omnibus spending bill created in secret and foist upon the House in the eleventh hour. We are Thirty Trillion Dollars in debt and must get a handle on our spending and put in place a plan to reduce our debt.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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Candidate

U.S. House Illinois District 6

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Footnotes

[show]

Illinois' current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Tammy Duckworth (D)

Dick Durbin (D)

Representatives

District 1

Jonathan Jackson (D)

District 2

Robin Kelly (D)

District 3

Delia Ramirez (D)

District 4

Jesus Garcia (D)

District 5

Mike Quigley (D)

District 6

Sean Casten (D)

District 7

Danny Davis (D)

District 8

Raja Krishnamoorthi (D)

District 9

Jan Schakowsky (D)

District 10

Brad Schneider (D)

District 11

Bill Foster (D)

District 12

Mike Bost (R)

District 13

Nikki Budzinski (D)

District 14

Lauren Underwood (D)

District 15

Mary Miller (R)

District 16

Darin LaHood (R)

District 17

Eric Sorensen (D)

Democratic Party (16)

Republican Party (3)