Say It Ain't So: Congressman Oberstar -- A Great Bicycle Advocate in Congress -- Lost His Race After 18 Terms

One of the highlights of attending the National Bike Summit in Washington, DC in March was meeting and chatting with one of the great bicycle lions of Congress -- Congressman Jim Oberstar, who chairs the House's Transportation Committee.

Oberstar has served an amazing 18 terms from Minnesota and is a rousing bicycle supporter whose speeches before the gathered bicycle advocates every year at the National Bike Summit makes for great inspiration.

So you can understand why my jaw dropped this morning when I read that Oberstar -- an 18-term congressman -- lost last night in the Republican storm that blew across the country on Election Day.

Losing Oberstar will hurt -- but that only means other congressional leaders will have to emerge to spark the bicycle movement in Washington.

League of American Bicyclists president Andy Clarke summed it up about losing Oberstar in Congress.