Lobbying firms are hiring a greater percentage of Republicans than at any time in the past dozen years, according to LegiStorm data on revolver demographics.
GOP aides make up 58 percent of congressional staffers moving to lobbying positions this year. While Republicans have made up the majority of revolving lobbyists since 2012, this year marks the highest proportion of GOP revolvers since 2004, when Republicans controlled the executive and congressional branches.
At least 198 Republicans who were congressional staffers have registered as lobbyists so far this year. With second quarter filings still coming in, that is just shy of the number of Republicans who moved to K Street in all of last year.
With the GOP again in control of the White House and both chambers of Congress, demand is disproportionately high for Republican aides looking to make the jump from the Hill to lucrative positions on K Street. But the demand doesn't flow both ways: Only 42 percent of lobbyists moving to the Hill are Republican, leaving GOP members of Congress rounding out staff rosters with the smallest percentage of incoming lobbyists since 2012.
