NRCC Adds K Street Surrogate

A top Republican lobbyist has joined the party’s campaign arm in the House to perform outreach with the business community downtown and conservative organizations nationwide.

Drew Maloney, a partner at Ogilvy Government Relations, joined the National Republican Congressional Committee as a part-time adviser last month to help the committee organize its surrogates off Capitol Hill.

“Lobbyist” has become a dirty word in recent years, but Beltway Republicans have complained at times that lawmakers and their aides were not doing enough to harness the party's many surrogates on K Street and in the conversative movement to help fundraiser and generate enthusiasm for candidates.

Maloney, a one-time aide to former Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas), has been active with the committee for years. He was one of the founding members of Club 218, a program launched by NRCC Chairman Tom Cole to encourage younger lobbyists to advise and raise money for vulnerable incumbents.

In his temporary post at the NRCC, Maloney will help organize grassroots supporters and downtown donors for the most vulnerable incumbents and those challenges with the best shot at unseating a Democrat, according to people familiar with his role at the committee. This includes matching candidates and lawmakers with businesses and grassroots organizations in their districts to help generate local headlines, raise campaign funds and turnout voters on Nov. 4.

“Drew brings with him a wide breath of knowledge on the policy and coalitions front that has made him a welcomed addition to the NRCC team,” committee spokesman Ken Spain said.

"Drew Maloney is one of the best communicators and organizers in the Republican party," said Rob Collins, the chief of staff to Virginia Rep. Eric Cantor. "Drew has the knowledge, ability and experience to help motivate our grassroots activists and get them working to elect common sense conservative Republicans."