There's a not entirely rigorous, but empirically weighty analogy here to Silicon Valley. Why don't startups just fly into SFO, rent an AirBnB for a few days, hit Sand Hill Road, and split back to wherever overhead is cheaper?
in SV, the idea is that you can hire people to do almost anything a growing company needs. That's true in DC as well, but it's also that the important people who can decide your future are there and continually meeting with your enemies.
"If you're not at the table, you're on the menu." they like to say.
