In a political climate where a major state's dominant political party's platform wants to ban critical thinking skills because they "challenge a student's fixed beliefs" and "undermine parental authority", it is unthinkable that scientists could be in government.
At the most, a scientist could get elected to a house seat from a district with lots of hi-tech firms or universities. He / she would have no chance of winning a statewide or countrywide political race.
http://tinyurl.com/6rqnygr [DailyTech]
Typically, a critical mass of the populace equates science as being anti-God, and critical thinking as being conspiratorial.
http://tinyurl.com/c2tjf8h [ScientificAmerican]
At the most, a scientist could get elected to a house seat from a district with lots of hi-tech firms or universities. He / she would have no chance of winning a statewide or countrywide political race.