ABSTRACT
This chapter talks about lobbyists, what they do, how they relate to interest group members, and why they sometimes prioritize the interests of some members over others or compromise all members' interests. Lobbyists are people who advocate for the interests of other people before government officials. Most lobbyists started their careers in government, where they made the important contacts necessary for having lucrative lobbying jobs, so their careers are dependent on preserving these relationships by keeping lawmakers happy. Lobbyists are usually able to prevent the kinds of defections that the Chamber experienced. The chapter shows that misalignment of interests does occur: the interests of a few powerful members and lawmakers were prioritized over those of smaller members, who reacted by leaving the organization to set up a countervailing group. The interests of some members may match those of their Washington-based lobbyists, and sometimes lobbyists can convince members that their interests are all the same.
