Two former U.S Senators who lost their seats in 2010 are landing on their feet — they can no longer make the law, but they will now teach it in their home states.
Former Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI), who was defeated in November by Republican Ron Johnson, is now going to be a visiting law professor at Marquette University. As the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports:
“I’m really excited about trying out some new things,” the former Democratic senator said in an interview Wednesday, speaking in some detail about his future for the first time since he was defeated by Republican Ron Johnson in November. “I’m going to be very, very happy to be in Wisconsin almost full-time for the first time in many, many years.”
It makes a lot of sense that Feingold would become a law professor back home, given the support he long enjoyed from students. Also, all those ethics laws he passed would probably make it hard for him ever get a job on K Street.
In addition, former Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA), who lost his Democratic primary after he switched over from the Republican Party, will be an adjunct professor at the University of Pennsylvania law school.
Specter said in a University press release:
“I’m excited to join a vibrant academic community that’s on the cutting edge of today’s most important legal issues,” Specter said. “As I transition to a new phase of my career, teaching at Penn Law will be a fantastic opportunity to join an outstanding community of scholars, continue my work in public policy and the law, and impact the next generation of lawyers and policy makers.”
Eric Kleefeld
Eric Kleefeld joined TPM as an intern for the final months of the 2006 midterm elections, and then kept showing up for work. His other interests include guitars, old comic books and the politics of various English-speaking countries.
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