Jack Orchulli
Encyclopedia
Jack Orchulli. He was raised in Alpha, New Jersey, went to Phillipsburg Catholic High School and, then, received a degree from Rutgers University. He later attended night school and received a master's degree in finance from B. M. Baruch College in New York City. He is a Darien, Connecticut
resident who was the unsuccessful Republican
candidate for the Connecticut
seat held by Christopher Dodd
in the 2004 U.S. Senate election
. Orchulli, previously an independent, became a Republican in August 2003 shortly before launching his bid for the U.S. Senate and ran for office with no prior political experience. Just months before deciding to run for the U.S. Senate, Orchulli sold his family's half-interest in Michael Kors (a fashion enterprise) and announced his retirement from business. His sole intent was to offer service to his fellow citizens without the taint of special interests or the compromise of political expediency.
In November 2004, Orchulli garnered 33% of the vote as a long-shot standing against incumbent Senator Christopher Dodd
, who won his 5th consecutive term for the Democrats with 66% of the vote.
Two years later, Orchulli was considered a possible mid-campaign replacement for Republican U.S. Senate candidate Alan Schlesinger
, who had come under media fire for a claim that Schlesinger had gambled in the past under an assumed name at Connecticut casinos. Schlesinger was running for the seat held by U.S. Senator Joe Lieberman
in the November 2006 election
. It was rumored in the media that Schlesinger had been called on by Gov. M. Jodi Rell
and then Republican State Chairman George Gallo to withdraw from the race against Lieberman and Ned Lamont
.
In 2006 and 2007, Orchulli, as a newcomer to small-town politics, led the local Darien (CT) Republican Party in an effort to unite this fractured local party. The objective was to bring in younger and more diverse leadership.
He was the state Republican Party finance chair in 2007. In addition, he is a board member of the Connecticut Development Corporation, a quasi-state government organization which looks to retain and grow jobs in the state.
On May 22, 2010, Orchulli was nominated to be the Republican candidate for State Comptroller
, the post being vacated by incumbent Democrat Nancy Wyman
. Orchulli went on to lose the general election to Democrat Kevin Lembo.
Darien, Connecticut
Darien is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. A relatively small community on Connecticut's "Gold Coast", the population was 20,732 at the 2010 census. Darien was listed at #9 at CNN Money's list of "top-earning towns" in the United States as of 2011...
resident who was the unsuccessful Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
candidate for the Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
seat held by Christopher Dodd
Christopher Dodd
Christopher John "Chris" Dodd is an American lawyer, lobbyist, and Democratic Party politician who served as a United States Senator from Connecticut for a thirty-year period ending with the 111th United States Congress....
in the 2004 U.S. Senate election
United States Senate election in Connecticut, 2004
The 2004 United States Senate election in Connecticut took place on November 2, 2004 alongside other elections to the United States Senate in other states as well as elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Incumbent Democrat U.S...
. Orchulli, previously an independent, became a Republican in August 2003 shortly before launching his bid for the U.S. Senate and ran for office with no prior political experience. Just months before deciding to run for the U.S. Senate, Orchulli sold his family's half-interest in Michael Kors (a fashion enterprise) and announced his retirement from business. His sole intent was to offer service to his fellow citizens without the taint of special interests or the compromise of political expediency.
In November 2004, Orchulli garnered 33% of the vote as a long-shot standing against incumbent Senator Christopher Dodd
Christopher Dodd
Christopher John "Chris" Dodd is an American lawyer, lobbyist, and Democratic Party politician who served as a United States Senator from Connecticut for a thirty-year period ending with the 111th United States Congress....
, who won his 5th consecutive term for the Democrats with 66% of the vote.
Two years later, Orchulli was considered a possible mid-campaign replacement for Republican U.S. Senate candidate Alan Schlesinger
Alan Schlesinger
Alan Schlesinger is an attorney, former Derby, Connecticut mayor, former Connecticut State Representative, and three-time unsuccessful Congressional candidate who received the Republican nomination for the seat representing Connecticut that is currently held by U.S...
, who had come under media fire for a claim that Schlesinger had gambled in the past under an assumed name at Connecticut casinos. Schlesinger was running for the seat held by U.S. Senator Joe Lieberman
Joe Lieberman
Joseph Isadore "Joe" Lieberman is the senior United States Senator from Connecticut. A former member of the Democratic Party, he was the party's nominee for Vice President in the 2000 election. Currently an independent, he remains closely affiliated with the party.Born in Stamford, Connecticut,...
in the November 2006 election
United States Senate election in Connecticut, 2006
The 2006 United States Senate election in Connecticut was held on November 7, 2006. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Joe Lieberman lost the August 8th Democratic primary to Ned Lamont. Lieberman formed his own third party and won in the general election to a fourth term.-Democratic primary:The...
. It was rumored in the media that Schlesinger had been called on by Gov. M. Jodi Rell
M. Jodi Rell
Mary Jodi Rell is a Republican politician and was the 87th Governor of the U.S. state of Connecticut from 2004 until 2011. She was the Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut under Governor John G. Rowland, who resigned during a corruption investigation. Rell is Connecticut's second female Governor,...
and then Republican State Chairman George Gallo to withdraw from the race against Lieberman and Ned Lamont
Ned Lamont
Edward Miner "Ned" Lamont, Jr. is a businessman and heir and most recently an unsuccessful candidate for the 2010 Democratic nomination for Governor of Connecticut. On May 22, 2010, Lamont received more than fifteen percent of the vote at the state Democratic convention, and appeared on the...
.
In 2006 and 2007, Orchulli, as a newcomer to small-town politics, led the local Darien (CT) Republican Party in an effort to unite this fractured local party. The objective was to bring in younger and more diverse leadership.
He was the state Republican Party finance chair in 2007. In addition, he is a board member of the Connecticut Development Corporation, a quasi-state government organization which looks to retain and grow jobs in the state.
On May 22, 2010, Orchulli was nominated to be the Republican candidate for State Comptroller
Connecticut Comptroller
The State Comptroller is the chief fiscal guardian of the State of Connecticut. The duties and responsibilities of the state comptroller include, among other things, overseeing state accounting, preparing state financial reports, paying and administering benefits to state employees, settling...
, the post being vacated by incumbent Democrat Nancy Wyman
Nancy Wyman
Nancy S. Wyman is the 108thThe State of Connecticut recognizes Nancy Wyman as the 108th Lieutenant Governor, using a standard that had counted Colonial period lieutenants as well as counting lieutenants who had served multiple times as only one individual figure. Wyman is considered the 88th...
. Orchulli went on to lose the general election to Democrat Kevin Lembo.
External links
- Jack Orchulli for Comptroller -- Official site of Orchulli's 2010 state comptroller campaign
- New York Times: In Connecticut, Dodd Easily Tops Orchulli for 5th Senate Term, November 3, 2004
- 2004 Senate campaign financial summary from OpenSecrets.org