Roraback, Andrew W.
District towns: Brookfield, Canaan, Cornwall, Goshen, Kent, Litchfield, Morris, New Milford, Norht Canaan, Salisbury, Sharon, Torrington, Warren, Washington, Winchester
Election history: Roraback won an open seat in 2000, succeeding Republican M. Adela Eads. He was elected to three terms in the House, beginning in 1994. In 2008, he faced a Democrat cross-endorsed by the Working Families Party.
2008 general election:
| Andrew Roraback (R) | 32,285 | 65 percent |
| Michael J. Renzullo (D) |
15,717 | 32 percent |
| Michael J. Renzullo (WF) |
1,466 | 3 percent |
Public financing: Roraback received $83,509.44 in public financing for his campaign under the Citizens' Election Program. He returned a surplus of $42,789.82.
Background: Roraback represents a sprawling Senate district that runs south from the Massachusetts line through Litchfield County along the New York border to Brookfield, a Danbury suburb in Fairfield County. It's been a safe Republican district, albeit with pockets of liberal activists. Roraback seems to reflect the district with a mix of fiscal conservatism, environmental sensitivity and occasional social liberalism.
In 2009, he voted down the line on fiscal issues with the Republican minority, opposing every budget crafted by the Democratic majority and two major health bills, Sustinet and a health-care pooling bill that would have opened the state health plan to municipalities.
He voted with Democrats in recent years to legalize medical marijuana, restrict junk food in schools and require hospitals to provide emergency contraceptives to rape victims. He was the only Senate Republican to vote to abolish the death penalty.
Roraback is married and the father of a son. They live in Goshen.
Committees: Environment, Finance (ranking member), Judiciary, Regulation Review (ranking member)
Education: B.A., Yale University, J.D., University of Virginia Law School
Occupation: Lawyer, Roraback and Roraback
2008 Financial Disclosure: Roraback reported income from investments and rent on property he owns with his siblings. His wife, Kara Dowling, is employed by St. Francis Hospital and also had income from Airport Realty Associates.
Roraback owns a home in Goshen. His wife owns a house in West Hartford an interest in land in Simsbury and East Granby. Roraback and his siblings also own 30 acres of undeveloped land in Goshen and a building in Torrington.
Roraback is a director of the Torrington Water Company. He or his wife have invested in two dozen mutual funds or companies, including Torrington Water, Berkshire Hathaway and General Electric.
He voluntarily disclosed owing debts of more than $10,000 to Torrington Savings Bank, Wells Fargo Bank and Oppenheimer & Co.
A note on financial disclosure: Every spring, officials are required to disclose the ownership of real estate, the source of any income exceeding $1,000 in the previous calendar year and securities worth more than $5,000. They also are required to file an addendum in which they report any debt of more than $10,000; this may by law be kept confidential.
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Key Votes
| Abolish death penalty | Yea |
| Adopted budget | Nay |
| Ash landfill ban | Yea |
| Bisphenol-A Ban | Yea |
| Expand insurance coverage | Yea |
| Green cleaning | Yea |
| Health pooling | Nay |
| June budget bill | Nay |
| Menu labeling | Yea |
| Same-sex marriage | Yea |
| Standard wage | Nay |
| SustiNet | Nay |
Key Votes Legend
Abolish death penalty
Adopted budget
Ash landfill ban
Bisphenol-A Ban
Expand insurance coverage
Green cleaning
Health pooling
June budget bill
Menu labeling
Paid sick days
Popular vote for president
Same-sex marriage
Standard wage
SustiNet
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