When Kevin McCarthy’s name circulated for months as “dark horse candidateTo be Donald Trump’s chief of staff, the former president of the House of Representatives did not accept the possibility, but he did not deny his interest either.
His evasive stance was part of a time-honored Washington tradition that has intensified in the run-up to Trump’s second inauguration: people in the private sector reaping the benefits of being appointed to high-level administrative positions, even if the The idea that he would be elected to office or accept a position is little more than speculation.
Bottom line: If rumors don’t result in a new job, the appearance of proximity to power can result in new business. Being mentioned for an administrative job is almost as good as getting the job itself.
The phenomenon is an essential part of launching a new administration, although few, if any, are willing to admit that it is a tactic they themselves have employed. A new cast of characters is vying around town to be seen as close to the incoming White House and to be able to raise considerable sums from those seeking to influence policymaking. McCarthy isn’t lobbying, but being nominated for a powerful White House job can’t hurt his new job as a paid speaker.
Lobbyists and business consultants in particular seek to sell any connections they can to the president’s inner circle. Jeff Forbes, a political operative who founded the lobbying firm Forbes Tate Partners, said the practice is a common public relations strategy for those looking to grow their businesses downtown.
“This is one of the oldest games in Washington,” the lobbyist said. “Best-case scenario, you get picked, and worst-case scenario, you end up looking quite attractive to potential clients.”
There is no time like the present for people with legitimate knowledge of Trump’s orbit. Ivan Adler, a recruiter nicknamed the “lobbyist hunter,” said there was a hunger for people with connections to the incoming president. In fact, business was so good for K Street during the last Trump administration that lobbyists close to him were able to set up successful and long-lasting stores in Washington. Among them were Brian Ballard and Jeff Miller, who have since become two of K Street’s most important figures.
Another twist: If a lobbyist’s colleague is tapped for a top administration position, that lobbyist’s value also increases: An inside White House connection is a huge asset to present to potential clients. And so, personnel decisions can have a huge ripple effect on who’s up and who’s down on K Street.
“Everyone has a different approach to marketing, but that’s exactly what it is: marketing,” said one longtime Republican lobbyist who was granted anonymity to speak freely. “It’s a story as old as time.”
Some names often seem to circulate in the run-up to Republican Inauguration Day. Among them is Wayne Berman, who heads Blackstone’s government affairs team and whose name was recently mentioned for undersecretary of the treasury. Trump’s former Interior Secretary David Bernhardt, who has been working as a political consultant at lobbying giant Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, was floated as a sleeper candidate for chief of staff (despite Trump’s de facto campaign manager, Susie Wiles, was widely seen as the favorite). ), attorney general or secretary of the Interior.
“Being perceived as someone connected to a new crowd is good for social and business invitations,” said Bruce Mehlman, a Republican lobbyist who runs his own business, emphasizing that this was not a tactic he used. “That’s just a truism we know.”
DC’s strategy of getting names in the press has a long history. But it can be a risky move, especially in Trump’s orbit, where getting ahead of the president or putting one’s own ambitions before his is among the gravest of sins.
Trump is notoriously hostile toward those believed to have leaked information to the media, and Trump allies expressed deep skepticism toward those who tipped off their own names to the press. Although it is a powerful marketing strategy, it does not speak to his real influence, Trump allies said.
“People are using (the) transition to raise their profile knowing full well that they have no chance of joining this transition,” one former campaign official said. “I think people should be skeptical when they read names.”
There are other benefits to getting your name in the press beyond an immediate payday. Invitations to exclusive parties can increase and bragging rights can be secured among colleagues. A group of Trump allies recently received a message about Rep. Thomas Massie’s (R-Ky.) name being circulated for Secretary of Agriculture and laughed at the suggestion, added the former campaign official, who was granted anonymity to discuss speak freely. Massie had endorsed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in the Republican primary and was seeking to rehabilitate his image, the person suggested. (A spokesperson for Massie did not respond to a request for comment.)
“People who put their names out there are not in the mix,” said a former Trump administration staffer who is now a lobbyist. Typically, such people are “not as close to the center” as they would lead others to believe. “I think there will be a lot of those guys in this administration.”
Even before the election, a person close to McCarthy suggested that the former president was satisfied with his new position outside the government, while his name was still circulating for various positions.
“I still think he’s pretty happy,” said a person close to McCarthy.
There could still be a reward for McCarthy after changing his deck for being a different type of speaker. The former California congressman hired an agency to help him get speaking engagements. Its clients include the American Hospital Association, French bank BNP Paribas and snack industry trade association SNAC International.
McCarthy has spent years trying to win back Trump’s favor, following the erosion of their relationship after McCarthy publicly said Trump was at least partly to blame for the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. And after the former president’s impeachment, his juice in Washington had dried up significantly.
But more recently, McCarthy has mended his bond with the incoming president. And having his name in the race for chief of staff has offered a renewed kind of relevance.