Former U.S. Rep. Mark Kennedy has a new job as director of the Graduate School of Political Management and professor of political management in George Washington University's College of Professional Studies.

Kennedy, a Republican who ran and spectacularly lost the 2006 U.S. Senate race to Amy Klobuchar, has an M.B.A from the University of Michigan and worked as a senior business executive at Accenture, Department 56 and Federated Department Stores.

He told Hot Dish that he is looking forward to joining a school that is the first of its kind and is focused on applied politics.

"As we look at the world today, the biggest challenges aren't that we don't have policy solutions. It is that we haven't figured out the politics for getting it done," he said.

As to his epic loss to Klobuchar, he quoted John F. Kennedy, who once said, "The mysteries of politics all become clear to you after you lose an election."

Added Mark Kennedy: "Based on that I should be an expert."

He said he and his wife will keep their place in Watertown, but will spend most of their time in Washington.

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