Antonio Villaraigosa, former mayor of Los Angeles, accepted a position on Monday to work at the Bipartisan Policy Center. The Center is a think tank founded in 2007, with the stated goal of encouraging balanced policy.

Former Mayor Villaraigosa had been hunting for a post in Washington D.C. since his second term as mayor ended this year.

There had been speculation that Villaraigosa would be awarded the position of Transportation Secretary previously. That was put to an end when President Obama selected former Charlotte mayor Anthony Fox for the job.

Though likely not Villaraigosa's first choice of employment, he said, "At a time when our government has been shut down and Washington is mired in political meltdown, I couldn't be prouder to work with an organization that works with both Democrats and Republicans."

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This new post will add to Villaraigosa's job portfolio. He's also an advisor to Herbalife, a nutrient supplement company, and Irvine's Banc of California.

Villaraigosa is not the only former mayor who fought to stay in the political sphere after their tenure expired. Here are three more of the most memorable ex-mayors.

 

Richard Riordan

Riordan was also a mayor of Los Angeles, serving two terms from 1993 to 2001. Riordan was the first Republican to win the office of mayor of Los Angeles in 30 years, and is the last one since. Riordan is known for his support for the creation of neighborhood-based councils, which allowed community leaders to have a hand in government and gave many previously politically inactive citizens the ability to voice their concerns and desires.

Currently, he also serves as the Chairman of the Alliance for College Ready Public Schools, where he oversees thirteen middle and high schools. Riordan's largest current contribution is his position as the chairman of the Riordan Foundation. The foundation, which was created by Riordan, is focused on helping students in low-income communities gain access to high quality education that will help make them competitive adults.

 

Richard Daley

Richard Daley served as the mayor of Chicago from 1989-2011. Daley is the longest serving mayor of Chicago. His tenure ended only when he refused to run for a seventh term. Daley has often been credited with being a driving force behind the economic growth of Chicago during his tenure.

Daley is currently a Senior Fellow at the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy, and also works at the international law firm Katen Muchin Rosenman. Very recently, he was also announced as a member of the board of directors of Coca-Cola.   

 

Rudy Giuliani

Giuliani, a Democrat turned Republican, was the mayor of New York from 1994 to 2001. He is specifically praised for maintaining order in New York City following the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the fear that the attacks instilled in New York City. Since his time in office ended, he ran for President in 2008, and was urged to run for Senator in 2010 and President in 2012, both of which he declined.

Currently, Giuliani is a partner in the law firm Bracewell and Giulliani, and is also a consistent face on major network news shows. Despite the fact that his career of running for office seems to be over, he is still an important face for the Republican Party and their values.

As this trend shows, former mayors' influence does not end when they are no longer in office. If anything, serving as the mayor of a major city opens up wide doors to positions in major economic companies, advocacy organizations, and even forming their own institutes. Although these former mayors are no longer in the spotlight as much as they once were, it is hard to argue that their power has diminished much.

 

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