alumni
DAVID O'CONNELL '02
RUNNING THE
R CES David O’Connell ’02 is no stranger to the challenges of running a political campaign; he spent the first five years of his career on the losing side of elections. Back in 2008, he was managing small congressional races and consistently losing. But, things changed in 2013 when O’Connell managed a competitive special congressional election in Charleston, South Carolina. “There were 16 candidates, and we had to get into
O’Connell didn’t know this was an interview.
outspent by two million dollars, but we were able
relaxed in my conversations. I didn’t realize that
the top two spots of the run-off election. We were to advance despite the discrepancy. That changed my career, really.” People started to take notice
of O’Connell more than ever, as he was able to
hold his own even without the large budget that
others had at their disposal. “After that, my career took off. I went to work for the chairman of the
National Republican Congressional committee,”
“I was just shooting the breeze, very casual and he wanted me to manage his race, and I wasn’t
prepared for that to be an interview. I just spoke to him as someone I wanted to get to know.”
Fortunately, O’Connell is someone who can easily speak about his field without any preparation. He
was still surprised he was offered a job on the spot.
he said.
As a political campaign manager, mostly in the
“I wasn’t expecting the job offer that I got three
different congressional campaigns. His name is on
years ago.” O’Connell explained that after the South Carolina race, he got a call to come to
the Party headquarters in Washington, D.C. “I met the chairman, who wanted to know how I
designed the campaign because it was so unusual.
I mobilized a large portion of the community that normally didn’t vote and got them involved.”
west, O’Connell has been in charge of running 10 a short list of people that Republican candidates
who run for congress can call. They can review his resume, interview him, and decide if they want to work with him.
One of his secrets to success? Maintaining
consistent relationships with vendors across the
country. “I try to make sure that the landscape and the candidates are the only things that change.”
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the magazine of cheshire academy
