Rep. Mike Johnson’s unexpected rise to speaker of the House has left K Street scrambling as lobbyists try to establish inroads with the relatively unknown Louisiana Republican and his staff.
Johnson has been in Congress for less than seven years and lacks the deep bench of long-time, trusted aides and ex-staffers that K Street usually relies on to curry favor and peddle influence on the Hill. The result is a flurry of lobbying activity by firms rushing to establish ties to Johnson’s office and ensure settled policy issues remain that way.
“It’s a curveball like no other in lobbying history,” said Kevin O’Neill, chair of Arnold & Porter’s legislative and public policy practice group.
