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Gov Business Review: Specials Magazine
Effective advocacy begins long before a bill reaches the floor. For organizations engaged in legislative or regulatory matters, steadiness comes from a seasoned partner who has unmatched industry know-how and works an issue through to the final gavel. These qualities define Edwards Capitol Partners (ECP), a government affairs firm with a quarter of a century of experience as a lobbying leader. What experience positions Edwards Capitol Partners to guide legislative and regulatory strategy through complex policy environments? Founder and president Steve Edwards, having served as the chief of staff to United States Senator Jim Inhofe and chairman of the Oklahoma Republican Party, established ECP to apply his firsthand experience to a focused practice. His understanding of how decisions move through the statehouse helped lay the foundation for a practice that remains active, adaptable and aligned with the evolving needs of public affairs work. Edwards also served as Chief Legal Counsel at the National Republican Congressional Committee and at the White House in President Personnel for President GW Bush. ECP primarily lobbies within the state of Oklahoma, representing clients across energy, utilities, technology, healthcare, education and tax policy, and other areas that require consistent, knowledgeable engagement at the Capitol.
Govt Lobbying
California, the world’s fifth-largest economy, leads the clean energy revolution with ambitious legislative milestones like the Clean Energy and Pollution Reduction Act (SB 350) and the Clean Energy and Jobs Act (SB 271). These laws target a 40 percent reduction in GHG emissions from the 1990 levels by 2030 and 80 percent by 2050, aiming for a complete clean energy portfolio by 2040. Navigating these progressive goals and stringent regulations is crucial for businesses to thrive in California’s dynamic energy landscape. Caliber Strategies, a boutique consulting and lobbying firm, empowers businesses to navigate the complex landscape of California’s clean energy regulations. With a deep-rooted understanding of the state’s policies and a team of seasoned regulators, Caliber provides tailored solutions that help clients meet their sustainability goals. Beyond the state level, Caliber Strategies also works closely with local jurisdictions, such as San Bernardino County. By partnering with counties, the company can assist businesses in understanding and complying with regional regulations, while also advocating for policies that support sustainable economic development and environmental protection. Drawing on first-hand insights and strategic advice from a roster that includes former public utilities commissioners, an energy commissioner, the head of the energy division for the state’s most significant regulatory agency and advisors to numerous governors, it helps clients prepare for California’s clean energy transition and bring new technologies to market. “We’ve come together to help the state achieve its goals by helping innovative companies navigate the California regulatory landscape. Our focus is on creating and implementing the world’s most ambitious and impactful clean energy policies,” says Manal McDermid, managing partner and founder at Caliber Strategies. Businesses seek Caliber Strategies’ expertise for various reasons. For many, understanding California’s regulatory maze marks the first step toward a long-term collaboration with the firm. Whether it is a specific project challenge or entering the state’s booming market, the Caliber team provides the strategic guidance necessary to navigate these hurdles successfully. All the services are designed to address each client’s specific needs. The client’s goals, what they value most, and any challenges they foresee in achieving them are uncovered through in-depth discussions. This upfront planning ensures the company is aligned with the client’s vision from the very beginning.
CXO INSIGHTS
A New Era for Chicago: From Industrial Legacy to Technological Leadership
Tom Anderson, Director of Economic Development, City of Chicago
Shaping the Future of Traffic and Transportation in the City of Rockville
Emad Elshafei, Chief of Traffic and Transportation, City of Rockville
Escalating Software Costs In Calvert County: Understanding And Addressing The Challenges
Stephen Pereira, Chief Information Officer, Calvert County Government
Lived Experience, Lasting Impact: Elevating Peer Support in the Era of Fentanyl
Nicholas Conner, Community Case Manager, Bernalillo County
Serving the Community, Scaling with Smart IT
Kent English, Director of Communication & Information Systems, Doña Ana County
Navigating Competing Interests: Operational Goals Vs. Administrative Requirements In Public Procurement
Chris Yarbrough, Director of Procurement and Contracts Division, Tennessee Department of Transportation
Lessons from Leading a Growing City
Shawn M. Bell, City Administrator, City of Fountain Inn
IN FOCUS
Digital Transformation in Lobbying: AI, Blockchain, and the Future of Political Influence
Lobbying is rapidly transforming through predictive policy modeling, AI-driven advocacy, and blockchain transparency, making influence faster, more precise, data-driven, and publicly accountable.
Redefining Government Affairs in Modern Business
Corporate success now depends on strategic government engagement; integrated, data-driven advocacy shapes policy, secures market access, and aligns business with societal expectations in a regulated, interconnected world.
EDITORIAL
Edwards Capitol Partners: Driving Legislative Success Through Expert Strategy
Government affairs has reached a level of operational maturity where access, process and compliance are no longer the hard part. Legislative calendars run on predictable rhythms, regulatory pathways are clearly mapped and coalition building now functions at an institutional scale. The strategic priority for 2026 is something more complex: preserving decision context across cycles. The most forward leaning organizations are using this maturity to pursue a higher mandate, treating institutional memory as a core asset that strengthens policy durability.
This shift reframes long horizon advocacy as a measurable advantage. In an environment defined by leadership turnover and shifting political priorities, the ability to maintain momentum, retain context and ensure policy intent compounds rather than resets is becoming essential.
Edwards Capitol Partners, our featured firm, embodies this evolution from episodic representation to operationalized institutional stewardship. Instead of tying its work to individual bills or sessions, the firm builds advocacy around sustained legislative presence and disciplined scope alignment. Its long horizon issue management, rigorous conflict checks and deep procedural fluency support a clear thesis: preserving decision context across sessions is fundamental to sustaining policy progress and ensuring outcomes endure beyond electoral cycles.
This logic echoes throughout the issue. In CXO Insights, Kent English of Doña Ana County argues that government IT must function as a proactive strategic partner, not a reactive support arm. Nicholas Conner of Bernalillo County adds that grounding policy in real world experience, from local government to nonprofit leadership, strengthens program design and keeps services aligned with community needs.
Across government affairs and policy engagement, one signal stands out. The organizations shaping the next cycle will be those that elevate influence beyond access alone and institutionalize foresight as a daily practice. By 2026, reliability, not visibility, will be the defining operational asset.
