Lobbying offers a lucrative postcongressional career for former members and staffers.

Data & Methods:

We developed a new measure, 'Lobbyist Value Added', to assess earnings by evaluating each lobbyist's marginal contribution on contracts. This revealed that prior measures underestimated high-performing lobbyists' impact.

Key Findings in Uncertain Times:

Former congressional staffers earn higher revenues during political uncertainty periods.

• Comparing individuals who narrowly won vs. lost elections highlights revenue disparities among former members.※

Real-World Implications for Political Science Research:

This study characterizes when government experience proves most valuable in lobbying careers.