Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) has announced he will lead the Center for the Political Future at the University of Southern California at the conclusion of his final term in the Senate.
Peters, 67, said in January 2025 he would not seek reelection for a third term, noting that he intends to spend more time on the West Coast with his grandchildren. He also said at the time that he didn’t view Congress as a life-long position.
“I see this as a capstone to my years in public service and an opportunity to help prepare the next generation to take the reins,” Peters said about his plans to join USC’s Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences.
Additionally, Peters will also be appointed the Carmen H. and Louis Warschaw Endowed Chair in Practical Politics, as the current chairman and founding director, Bob Shrum, is retiring.
Peters will work alongside GOP strategist Mike Murphy, who is currently the co-director of CPF. The university said the cross-party direction makes the center “believed to be the only university political center in the country jointly led by a Democrat and a Republican.”
“CPF has done a terrific job bringing people with different perspectives together,” Peters said. “I’m excited to build on Bob Shrum’s accomplishments and work with Mike Murphy to encourage more young people to get involved in our democracy and show that people who disagree can still find common ground and get things done.”
Murphy said he is also looking forward to working with Peters, saying the new addition is a “rare thing” because he is “principled” and can “get things done.”
In leading the CPF, Peters will expand the school’s presence in Washington, D.C., by making USC’s Capital Campus a hub for courses and programs that bring students and lawmakers together. Peters will split his time between Washington and Los Angeles to teach at both campuses.
USC Dornsife Dean James Bullock celebrated Peter’s addition to the university, noting his ability to work with his colleagues in Congress. The school also noted in its press release that Peters was ranked the most effective lawmaker in the last three Congresses by the Center for Effective Lawmaking.
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“He has spent his career showing that you can hold strong political convictions and still work productively with people who see the world differently,” Bullock said.
Peter’s retirement set up a tumultuous political environment in his home state of Michigan. His chosen candidate to replace him, Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI), fell to Abdul el Sayed in the closely watched Democratic primary. Now, the race between el Sayed and Republican nominee Mike Rogers has become one of the marquee races in the midterm elections.