Sen. Gary Peters to lead USC politics center

Sept. 21 (UPI) — Retiring Michigan Sen. Gary Peters is set to lead USC’s Dornsife’s Center for the Political Future, the university announced on Monday.

The Democrat, who announced he would not seek re-election earlier this year, has been named the Warschaw Chair. Peters began his professional career as an educator at several institutions in Michigan, including Michigan State University.

Peters is serving his second term in the U.S. Senate. His term will end in January as former Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., and Democrat Abdul El Sayed seek to succeed him in November’s midterm elections.

“I look at this as a capstone of my years in public service at the local, state and federal level,” Peters said in a statement. “It’s never been more important to bring people together, and there’s no better place to start than working with students and getting them engaged in civic activism.”

Peters will work alongside Republican strategist Mike Murphy, who has been named the center’s co-director.

Peters first entered government in 2008 when he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.

“Gary Peters brings an extraordinary combination of public service, bipartisan leadership and real experience getting things done in Washington,” James Bullock, Dean of USC Dorsife’s Center, said in a statement. “He has spent his career showing that you can hold strong political convictions and still work productively with people who see the world differently. I’m especially excited about what his leadership will make possible for our students, both in Los Angeles and in Washington.”