Former Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert backs U.S. Senate candidate David Dewhurst after debating Ted Cruz on July 17, 2012. (Credit: Jack Fink/KTVT)

DALLAS (AP) – Former U.S. Senate candidate and Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert has a new job as president of the test-prep giant Kaplan, Inc.

Kaplan announced Tuesday it had hired Leppert as president and chief operating officer. The company says Leppert will be in charge of day-to-day operations of Kaplan Test Prep and Kaplan Higher Education.

Leppert was mayor of Dallas from 2007 to 2011. He ran last year for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate, eventually won by Ted Cruz.

Leppert says in a statement that he’s seen how education can transform lives.

Kaplan is part of The Washington Post Co., and sells a range of test-prep books and classes, along with for-profit universities.

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