Because turnover among Congressional staffers is especially high, it’s seldom newsworthy. But around two o’clock Monday, Alyssa Farah started trending on D.C. Twitter.
That Freedom Caucus spokeswoman is leaving those cantankerous congressional conservatives to work as press secretary for mild-mannered Mike Pence. This is significant for two reasons.
Moving from the House to the White House (or more precisely the Eisenhower Executive Office Building next door) is the equivalent of getting called up to the Major Leagues. Every ambitious aide who ever watched an episode of the West Wing wants to join the administration. It’s obviously a big promotion that comes with prestige, better Christmas parties, and more influence.
More importantly, the personnel change reflects an important political reality. House conservatives, specifically the ones who hijacked the healthcare debate and are now holding tax reform hostage, aren’t verboten just yet.
When Steve Bannon left his senior advisor role to return to Breitbart, some, like GOP Rep. Steve King of Iowa, questioned if there were any conservatives left. And clearly, there are. They’re over in the Eisenhower Building, working in the office of the vice president.
Philip Wegmann is a commentary writer for the Washington Examiner.
