Telecoms bet on congressional rookies

AT&T, Comcast and Verizon have donated heavily to incoming members of Congress, cultivating early relationships with the next generation of lawmakers and surpassing the efforts of Internet companies like Google and Facebook, which are just beginning to up their game in Washington.

With the help of their well-stocked political action committees, the three wireless and cable giants last election cycle cast a wide net. They targeted many of the 65 newcomers to Capitol Hill along with scores of familiar incumbents as the industry prepares for new legislative battles in 2015 over net neutrality and other communications laws. It’s a sign that the telecoms, which are longtime players in DC with formidable lobbying operations, remain skilled practitioners in how to develop allies and do business in the capital. Tech companies, by contrast, played it safe and generally supported only congressional veterans during the midterms.