Michael Best Strategies announced today the acquisition of Capitol Consultants and the addition of the lobbying firm’s managing partner, Bill McCoshen.
The sale of Capitol Consultants, which has been in the works since spring, has been considered a key step for McCoshen as the Republican considers a run for governor.
The announcement says McCoshen will become a partner at Michael Best Strategies as part of the acquisition, and the former member of Gov. Tommy Thompson’s cabinet touted how the deal will strengthen his firm’s future.
But the Michael Best Strategies announcement is silent on McCoshen’s political plans. A McCoshen spokesman told WisPolitics.com the lobbyist is expected to make his political intentions clear within the next day or two.
McCoshen said in the Michael Best Strategies announcement that the acquisition will carry forward the legacy Capitol Consultants has built over the past 29 years.
Tony Langenhol, the senior vice president for Capitol Consultants, is joining Michael Best Strategies as a principal.
Combined, the two lobbyists are registered to represent nearly two dozen interests, according to the Ethics Commission website. Their clients range from AT&T Wisconsin and Johnson Controls to Pfizer Inc. and Secure Elections Project. The latter group advocates for automatic voter registration and what it calls “commonsense election security reforms.”
“This move solidifies Strategies as the go-to government relations firm in Wisconsin and positions us well for future growth,” McCoshen said.
So far, former Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch is the only Republican who has formally announced plans to run in 2022. Besides McCoshen, other high-profile Republicans who have been considering a run include state Rep. John Macco and former U.S. Senate candidate Kevin Nicholson.
