Politicians increasingly taking the reins as college presidents in red states

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The Hill's Headlines | PM - September 29, 2026

The Hill's Headlines | PM - September 29, 2026

Former elected officials are increasingly filling the role of college president, especially in red states where dissatisfaction with higher education is high.  

While conservatives want to see these leaders shake up a system they see as biased against them, they also hope hiring a former senator or governor offers better connections with state legislators, potentially leading to more support for the school in question.

But concerns are growing over the controversies overtly political college heads can court — and over their general qualifications in the education sphere.

”I think the bigger issue is that the presidency has become a much more externally facing job, and boards are looking for, more broadly, for people who really know how to lead a complex organization and navigate an increasingly complicated public policy environment, and so that’s what I really think that is happening out there,” said Ross Mugler, president and CEO of the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges.  

“And government experience can be an asset, but political alignment should never be a job qualification,” Mugler added.  

Florida is a stand-out case, with at least five GOP appointees currently at the helm of public colleges.

In Texas, the current interim president of Texas A&M is a GOP politician with over a decade of experience in the state legislature.

And Mitch Daniels, the........

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