Wal-Mart Stores has hired Simmons & Russell Group, which has strong contacts in the two top political parties, for DC representation.

Kyle Simmons served as chief of staff to current Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky. He worked on Jim Bunning's Senate election campaign in the Bluegrass State and George W. Bush's first presidential run.

Simmons also was communications director at Louisville-based hospital operator Humana and staffer at Quinn Gillespie & Assocs PA shop.

Bob Russell was COS to Wal-Mart's former home state Senator Mark Pryor, who lost his 2014 re-election bid to Republican Tom Cotton.

He had oversight of Pryor's work on the commerce, appropriations, homeland security, ethics, rules and small business committees.

Russell co-founded the Senate Bipartisan Chiefs of Staff Group.

S&R Group monitors federal regulatory and legislative matters affecting the Bentonville-headquartered retailer

Wal-Mart shelled out $10M in Washington lobbying fees last year.

Its lobbying firms include outfits launched by two former Senators, Arkansas's Blanche Lincoln and Oklahoma's Don Nickles.

Lincoln Policy Group and Nickles Group each collected $90K retainers during the fourth-quarter.

Heavyweight Democratic firm Podesta Group hauled in a $110K retainer for the same period.