Interview procedures

Over the course of 2009–2012, I interviewed twenty public affairs consultants. These interviews were designed to further flesh out the findings of the survey data as well as to understand the processes behind the formation of firm–client ties and the factors that led entrepreneurs to found new consulting firms.

These interviews, ranging in length from one half-hour to over two hours, were selected to be broadly representative of the field of consultants, such that a plurality of interviews would be with nonpartisan firms, and with a roughly even split between Republican and Democratic consultants. In the end, I interviewed five Democratic, three Republican, and twelve nonpartisan firms. Firms serving predominantly corporate clients comprised twelve of the interviewed firms, whereas three interviews were with those focusing on electoral campaigns, four interviewees worked primarily with associations, and one worked mainly with government clients. Eight of the interviewed firms are located in greater Washington, DC, seven are located in the West, two are from the South, two are from the Midwest, and one hails from the mid-Atlantic. Firms varied widely in their service offerings, as described in the quotations throughout this book. Interviewed firms were slightly larger than other firms in the sample, having a median staff size of ten.