A former Pennsylvania congressman came to UF Wednesday to discuss how extreme political polarization harms the country.
About 70 people came to Pugh Hall Ocora at 6 p.m. to see Jason Altmire, a democratic congressman who served from 2007 to 2013. The Bob Graham Center for Public Service hosted the event to promote the former congressman’s new book, “Dead Center: How Political Polarization Divided America and What We Can Do About It,” said Kevin Baron, the civic engagement coordinator at the Graham Center.
“His experience as a former member of Congress makes him a great person to bring in for the Graham Center when we talk about public service,” Baron said.
Altmire discussed what it was like working in Congress as a centrist and proposed potential solutions to the hyperpartisan climate in politics, such as reforming the primary system.
“We need to elect representatives of the whole rather than the extremes,” he said.
Participants during the Q&A asked questions about how Altmire was able to retain a centrist position in Congress and about millennials’ role in politics.
Lindsey Cazessus, a 21-year-old economics and statistics junior, said she thought the talk made students think about the changes they want to see in politics.
“I think it’s important to have independent or more centrist voices to represent the portion of young people who don’t necessarily identify with the extremes on either side,” Cazessus said.
Jason Altmire, a former Pennsylvania congressman, spoke at UF about political polarization on Thursday evening.
