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The extensive circulation of American elites between politics and public administration on the one hand, and civil society on the other, is one of the fundamental elements underpinning the thesis of the weak American state. The image of the “revolving door,” which encapsulates the idea of professional mobility back and forth from the private to the public sector, implies a fragmented state, open to external pressures from a variety of social groups. This paper, in contrast, focuses on “long timers” in health and national defense policy: political appointees and congressional staffers who occupy senior positions for an extended period of time in Congress and in the executive branch. This focus allows us paint a different picture. We document career and professional trajectories marked by a strong commitment to a given policy area, often predating entry into the public sector, and centered on key power positions in Washington. Circulation, we note, is frequent between these positions in the public sector. While these findings do not in and of themselves allow us to fully assess the influence wielded by these actors, this study identifies the social and political resources and forms of specialization which predispose them to play important roles in shaping public policy.