Former House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, unceremoniously dumped in his 2014 GOP primary by Tea Party favorite Dave Brat, has won a gig at Harvard University’s Institute of Politics.
Cantor will join two others who fell short of election in 2014, former Democratic North Carolina Sen. Kay Hagan and former Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley, who lost her bid for governor, as Institute fellows.
From Harvard:
Cambridge, MA — Harvard’s Institute of Politics (IOP), at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, today announced two additions to its 2015 IOP Spring Fellows class. The IOP was established in 1966 as a memorial to President Kennedy and aims to inspire, motivate and encourage undergraduates to consider careers in politics and public service.
Eric Cantor, former U.S. House of Representatives Member (2001-14; VA-7th, R), Majority Leader (2011-14) and Majority Whip (2009-11) will join the Institute as a Visiting Fellow in early April. Mr. Cantor is currently Vice Chairman and Managing Director at Moelis & Company, a global independent investment bank. Visiting Fellows traditionally meet with student groups; lead discussion sessions on topical issues and their experiences in public and political service; and participate in public policy classes with students and Harvard University faculty.
Bassem Youssef, political satirist, former host of the television program “Al-Bernameg” (The Program) in Egypt and one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world (2013) will join the Institute as a Resident Fellow. Over the course of an academic semester, Resident Fellows interact with students; develop and lead weekly study groups; and are afforded many opportunities to participate in the intellectual life of the Harvard community.
“Our Spring Fellows class reflects the powerful impact political engagement can have both inside and outside of government,” said Harvard Institute of Politics Director Maggie Williams.
Youssef joins five previously announced Resident Fellows for the spring semester, who include Martha Coakley, Massachusetts attorney general (2007-15) and Middlesex County district attorney (1999-2007); Kay Hagan, U.S. Senator (2009-14; D-NC) and North Carolina State Senator (1999-2008); Matt Lira, deputy executive director, National Republican Senatorial Committee (2013-14); senior advisor, Office of U.S. House majority leader Eric Cantor (VA-7th, R; 2011-Aug. 2012 and Nov. 2012-Mar. 2013); digital director for Vice Presidential nominee Paul Ryan (R-WI), Romney for President (Aug. 2012-Nov. 2012); Jay Newton-Small, Washington correspondent, TIME (2007-present); government reporter, Bloomberg News (2003-07); and Christine Quinn, member (1999-2013) and speaker (2006-13), New York City Council.
Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner’s “Washington Secrets” columnist, can be contacted at [email protected].
