Former Democrat lawmakers Tim Ryan and Beto O'Rourke have been selected as academic fellows by the University of Chicago's Pritzker Fellows Program for the school's spring semester.
O'Rourke, who lost his campaign for Texas governor last year to Greg Abbott and served as the U.S. representative for Texas's 16th Congressional District from 2013 to 2019, will lead seminars "using Texas as a case study to explore the present and future of U.S. democracy."
Ryan, a former U.S. representative from Ohio who lost his Senate race to now-Sen. J.D. Vance, a Republican, will examine the political and cultural divides impacting the U.S. electorate.
Former U.S. Rep. Peter Meijer, R-Mich., and former Shreveport Democrat Mayor Adrian Perkins are also teaching courses in 2023 at the University of Chicago's Institute of Politics.
The program has hosted nearly 200 fellows, including former Republican National Committee Chair Michael Steele; Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm, a Democrat; and former Secretary of Education John B. King, also a Democrat.
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.