To the editor:

As a 25-year veteran of Republican politics and a Fall 2015 Institute of Politics Resident Fellow, I can speak firsthand to Maggie Williams’ unyielding dedication to ensuring conservative voices are represented at the IOP. Anyone conservative who has worked with Maggie at the IOP knows that any suggestions to the contrary can be dismissed out of hand.

Maggie is relentless in ensuring Republicans are represented each semester, something to which the many Republican IOP alumni can attest. That many Republicans view Harvard with some skepticism makes her job both more difficult and more important. This semester’s excellent—and diverse—class of fellows is proof positive of Maggie’s successful efforts.

For 50 years, the IOP has been a source of pride for the Harvard community. As its director, Maggie Williams not only carries its torch, but preserves its tradition as an essential forum for diverse viewpoints.

Sincerely,
Douglas R. Heye

Douglas R. Heye, former deputy chief of staff for former House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, was a Fall 2015 IOP Resident Fellow.