Art Robinson, a scientist who was profiled in TAS (“A Scientist Finds Independence,” Feb. 2001), and has written for the magazine about global warming, is running for Congress. He confirmed in an email that he filed at the last minute for the GOP primary in Oregon’s 4th congressional district.

“The spectacle in Washington is causing many Americans to do unexpected things,” Robinson told me.

The winner of the primary will face Democrat Peter DeFazio, a  12-term incumbent. Robinson is a conservative Republican. DeFazio is a liberal and a member of the House Progressive Caucus.

Robinson is best known for his “Petition Project,” in which he collected 31,000 signatures from scientists who oppose the “scientific consensus” supporting man-made global warming. He also publishes a newsletter, Access to Energy.

While still a young man, Robinson became a full Professor of Chemistry at U.C. San Diego. Later he was president of the Linus Pauling Institute in Palo Alto. But his experiments showing that Vitamin C could not cure cancer caused a rupture with Pauling.

Robinson also has expert knowledge on civil defense and home schooling. After breaking with Pauling he formed the Oregon Institute for Science and Medicine. He does his own biomedical research with volunteer support at his farm in Southern Oregon. Robinson accepts no government funds.