Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) experienced a wave of staff defections in the months leading up to his vice-presidential nomination, even while his rising star might have been seen as a ticket to a White House job.
From October 2023-June 2024, Vance's office saw a 0.41 staff turnover, far exceeding the average Senate staff turnover of 0.24 and placing his office in the 93rd percentile for highest turnover, according to LegiStorm's salary-weighted staff turnover index.
Vance's staff turnover has greatly increased from the 0.06 turnover his office experienced for FY2023 (October 2022-September 2023), which placed him in the bottom 3rd percentile for staff turnover.
Although it is not uncommon for members of Congress to experience an increase in turnover following their first year in office, it is unusual to see such a drastic jump.
For example, during her time as a senator, presumed Democratic presidential nominee and current Vice President Kamala Harris' staff turnover only increased from 0.12 in FY2017 to 0.21 in FY2018. Similarly, Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), who has been floated as a potential running mate to Harris, had a staff turnover of 0.10 in FY2021 and saw a mere raise in turnover in FY2022 to 0.16.
It is also common for members to see an increase in turnover when they are campaigning as official staff go to work for the campaign. Harris' turnover rose to 0.42 in FY2019 and to 0.47 in FY2020 while she was campaigning for president and then as President Joe Biden's vice presidential pick. However, Vance's increase in staff turnover spans months before he was announced as former President Donald Trump's pick.
LegiStorm analysis of staff turnover is weighted by salary. The departure of higher-paid staff, such as a chief of staff, will have a greater impact on the index than the departure of a lesser-paid staff.
