Over the next few weeks, you will hear claims from both sides of the political aisle about whether Republicans will hold the majority, or a wave of new Democrats will take control of Congress in January.  Regardless of the resulting partisan makeup, one thing is clear right now: there are going to be a lot of new faces on Capitol Hill.

A quick look at the numbers illustrates why the halls of Congress will be filled with new questions and ideas starting in 2019.  So far in this election cycle, we have seen over 30 retirements, more than 20 departures to run for another office, 15 resignations, and five incumbents defeated in primary elections. Over 40 House races are currently neck-and-neck in public polling, and nine Senate races are rated as “toss-ups” by political handicappers – some of them feature Democratic incumbents in states that President Trump won in 2016, while other races feature Republican candidates that have seen wide polling advantages diminish to single-digit leads.

No matter which party controls the House, the retirement of Speaker Paul Ryan means there will be new leadership in the House of the Representatives.  The 116^th Congress will also feature new chairman and ranking members of committees who will steer legislation in new directions.  Among the current House members not running for re-election are several current committee chairmen, including the leaders of the Appropriations, Judiciary, Financial Services, and Oversight Committees.  Naturally, new members will not have the institutional knowledge on as wide a variety of issues as multi-term incumbents in Congress.  HCPA is already preparing for this opportunity to develop relationships with new members on both sides of the aisle.

Starting in January, the HCPA congressional education campaign will focus on sharing the positive impact of our industry, using economic data to show that we are a proven job creator, and briefing new members of Congress on key legislative priorities.  To complement these efforts, the newly formed HCPA political action committee, HCP-PAC, will support congressional candidates from both parties who understand the industry and its complex policy challenges.

But we cannot do this alone.

Experiences and concerns from HCPA members with deep knowledge of our industry’s issues go a long way in advocacy, especially when those messages are delivered by constituents.  HCPA encourages its members to start crafting fresh advocacy strategies for the new Congress, and to increase their political engagement to address the challenges that will be presented by a large class of new legislators.  Here are a few things to consider when planning your company’s advocacy involvement in 2019 and beyond:

Make Friends Before You Need Them
There is no way around it – building effective and lasting relationships with elected officials takes time and effort.  The best relationships are built carefully over many years, with consistent interaction and an honest exchange of information.  In that same vein, demanding immediate or emergency action from a legislator in your first meeting can sour a relationship from the start.  Interacting with freshman legislators early on can get the ball rolling on new relationships and allow your company to begin these important conversations on your own terms.  And nobody likes that friend that only calls you when they are desperate for help.  

To Thine Own Self Be True
Polonius was never short on gratuitous advice, and this piece rings true in the context of advocacy.  Honestly evaluate your company’s past engagement with elected officials to spot areas for potential improvement.  Prioritize your company’s top public policy issues and have targeted conversations on those issues instead of presenting a laundry list of items.  Lastly, understand your company’s geographic, economic, and community footprint – awareness of these details will help you “localize” your policy issues to specific elected officials, and make your advocacy both more relevant and more effective.  Statistics, stories, and service will increase the impact of your advocacy initiatives.  It must follow, as the night the day.

Good Alone, Better Together
Seasoned Washington veterans will tell you that no major legislative initiative succeeds without a broad, well-organized base of support behind it.  Take time to evaluate your company’s participation in associations, industry groups, and legislative coalitions.  Groups of like-minded companies and industries can effectively pool advocacy resources, develop messaging and communications material, and present a united front in legislative advocacy.  They can also efficiently utilize each individual company’s own strengths, while neutralizing weaknesses.  Explore ways to increase your involvement with your industry trade associations and seek out new advocacy opportunities in group settings. 

Looking for a good place to start?  Save the date for HCPA’s 2019 Mid-Year Meeting, May 1-3, 2019 in Washington, D.C., and join your industry colleagues in proactively meeting with members of Congress and their staff.
 
Owen Caine serves as executive vice president of government relations and public policy at the Household & Commercial Products Association.  He can be reached at [email protected].