About Cap O'Rourke
UPDATE: Cap was recently selected by his peers to serve on the MN Governmental Relations Council (MGRC) Board of Directors. and the SciMathMN Board of Directors.
Having spent his entire career working as a legislative strategist, policy advocate and grassroots campaigner, Cap has gained a deep understanding and appreciation of the complex pressures - political, financial, media, and human - that affect how public policy decisions are generally made.
Using that experience, Cap founded O’Rourke Strategic Consulting (OSC), a lobbying firm that assists organizations in strengthening their issue-position(s) and facilitates the process that allows them to have an impact on policies in which they are invested.
In his 15+ years working in the political arena, Cap has honed his understanding of the process and the complexities involved with matching politically viable solutions to public policy concerns. This insight, plus his large network of contacts in the lobbying community and with elected officials, continues to be a successful formula for helping clients navigate the political arena in an effective manner.
The Backstory
My fascination with politics began more than 15 years ago, at St. Johns University, where I earned my political science degree and then launched into my new career immediately, by jumping right in and working on a number of political campaigns across the state of Minnesota. I appreciate the significance of starting out this way. Being on the front lines of both state-wide and municipal campaigns provided great insight into the electoral process and the factors necessary to most efficiently influence elections.
Soon thereafter, I transitioned to a staff position in the Minnesota Legislature, quickly rising to a senior level position. More than a decade of legislative experience has afforded me the privilege of working first hand with a wide range of elected officials on a number of major legislative proposals including tax reform, stadiums, education reform and small business development projects. This behind-the-scenes perspective has offered a comprehensive view of the entire process and the unexpected hurdles that can appear. (“The good, the bad and the ugly”, if you will ...)
In 2014, I successfully leveraged my knowledge of the legislative process and launched my own lobbying firm, O’Rourke Strategic Consulting. Since then I have built upon my experience and contacts within the legislature to successfully represent a broad range of clients. Working on a number of high profile issues and some, more subtle topics, OSC has been able to achieve many successful client outcomes. I have had the privilege of working with some fantastic organizations and I am proud of the successes OSC has achieved.
I believe the magic formula (if there is such a thing) is my hands–on, personal approach to lobbying. Staying connected through constant communication and giving clients honest and timely assessments of our current position, ensures that we are always working toward the same strategic goals. Fortunately, it’s a formula that has been very well received.