▁campaign ▁for ▁the ▁US ▁Senate ▁and ▁nearly ▁un se ated ▁Frank ▁Bran de ge e . ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 0 ▁he ▁managed ▁Mc Le an ' s ▁successful ▁campaign ▁for ▁the ▁Senate . ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 2 ▁he ▁became ▁Republican ▁state ▁party ▁chairman ▁- ▁a ▁post ▁he ▁retained ▁until ▁his ▁death ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 7 . ▁ ▁Under ▁R or ab ack ' s ▁leadership ▁the ▁Republic ans ▁retained ▁the ▁governor ship ▁from ▁ 1 9 1 5 ▁to ▁ 1 9 3 1 . ▁R or ab ack ' s ▁f isc ally ▁conserv ative ▁policies ▁led ▁to ▁Connecticut ▁pay ing ▁down ▁its ▁state ▁deb t . ▁R or ab ack ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁Republican ▁National ▁Committee ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 0 , ▁a ▁position ▁he ▁also ▁held ▁until ▁his ▁death . ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 4 ▁he ▁served ▁as ▁the ▁speaker ▁of ▁the ▁Republican ▁national ▁convention ▁and ▁became ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁executive ▁committee . ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 2 ▁he ▁became ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁vice - ch air men . ▁By ▁that ▁time ▁R or ab ack ▁was ▁regarded ▁as ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁" Old ▁Guard " ▁of ▁the ▁party , ▁opposed ▁to ▁reform ▁and ▁strongly ▁opposed ▁to ▁Ro ose vel t ' s ▁New ▁De al . ▁ ▁Business ▁career ▁ ▁Starting ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 1 ▁R or ab ack ▁represented ▁the ▁New ▁York , ▁New ▁H aven ▁and ▁Hart ford ▁Rail road ▁and ▁was ▁successful ▁in