Some lobbyists seem to believe that just because someone is elected, they should go and seek their support.
I’ve never understood this.
There are two simple reasons for this.
First, the support of some politicians is the political death knell for your client’s issue.
Second, plenty of people have done well in Elections, who, at the time, and certainly in hindsight, supporting them/seeking their support did not work out in the long run.
By way of example, I see the following leaders all did well during a General Election that took them to power:
Pol Pot – 1976 election results
Benito Mussolini – 1934 election results
Adolf Hitler – 5 March 1933 election results
Polling well should not lead automatically to slavish adoration and support.
I recall when Nick Giffin was a British MEP representing the British National Party. A UK fascist political party polled well enough to get elected. There was no clamouring to embrace his Party’s support in Brussels or the UK.
Values, integrity and decency, rather than rank political opportunism, should be some core part of lobbying.