{{Short description|American politician (1937–2018)}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Sam Cataldo | state_senate = New Hampshire | district = 6th | term_start = December 2012 | term_end = December 2016 | predecessor = Fenton Groen | successor = James Gray | birth_date = {{birth date|1937|07|16}} | birth_place = Lawrence, Massachusetts, U.S. | death_date = {{Death date and age|2018|2|3|1937|7|16}} | death_place = {{nowrap|Farmington, New Hampshire, U.S.}} | party = Republican | spouse = Cheryl | alma_mater = Lowell Technological Institute<Br>Northeastern University | allegiance = {{flag|United States}} | branch = United States Air Force | service_years = | rank = | unit = }}
'''Sam Cataldo''' (July 16, 1937 – February 3, 2018) was a Republican member of the New Hampshire Senate, representing the 6th district from 2012 to 2016. His district comprised the towns of Alton, Barnstead, Farmington, Gilmanton, New Durham, and the city of Rochester. He previously served in the New Hampshire House of Representatives for four terms.
==Political career== Cataldo served 4 terms in the New Hampshire House of Representatives, before his election to the state senate in 2012.
Cataldo endorsed Jim Gilmore for the 2016 Presidential election. Gilmore also named Cataldo as his campaign's New Hampshire State Chairman.<ref>{{Cite news | url = http://www.unionleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20151018/NEWS0604/151019337 | title = Garry Rayno's State House Dome: Bracing for candidates swarming State House | last = Rayno | first = Garry | website = UnionLeader.com | access-date = 2016-02-28 }} [https://web.archive.org/web/20180211191019/https://www.unionleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article/?AID=/20151018/NEWS0604/151019337 archived]</ref>
In 2016, Cataldo ran for the 2nd district of the Executive Council of New Hampshire, but lost to Andru Volinsky.<ref>{{cite news |last=Currie |first=Judi |date=November 9, 2016 |title=Volinsky wins Executive Council seat |url=http://www.fosters.com/news/20161109/volinsky-wins-executive-council-seat |newspaper=Seacoast Media Group |access-date=November 11, 2016 }}</ref>
==Personal life== Cataldo was born in Lawrence, Massachusetts and graduated from Central Catholic High School in 1956. In June 1956, he joined the United States Air Force. He had a commercial pilot's license and worked for Avco Corporation.<ref>[http://www.nhcornerstone.org/candidate-corner/sam-cataldo-for-senate-district-6/ Rep. Sam Cataldo for Senate District 6]. Cornerstone Action.</ref> Cataldo and his wife Cheryl had five grown children.
Cataldo died in an automobile crash in Farmington, New Hampshire on February 3, 2018.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.unionleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20180204/NEWS/180209675/-1 |title=Former state Sen. Sam Cataldo of Farmington killed in car crash |last1=Hayward |first1=Mark |last2=Feely |first2=Paul |date=February 4, 2018 |website=UnionLeader.com |access-date=March 26, 2018 |archive-date=July 4, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180704182750/http://www.unionleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20180204/NEWS/180209675/-1 |url-status=dead }} [https://web.archive.org/web/20160304040720/http://www.nhcornerstone.org/candidate-corner/sam-cataldo-for-senate-district-6/ archived]</ref> Sun glare was believed to have played a role in the crash.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fosters.com/news/20180213/investigation-continues-into-crash-that-killed-former-sen-cataldo |last=Stucker |first=Kyle |date=Feb 13, 2018 |title=Investigation continues into crash that killed former Sen. Cataldo |newspaper=Seacoast Media Group |access-date=March 26, 2018}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/senate/members/webpages/district06.aspx Official Senate page] {{CongLinks|congbio=|votesmart=42311|fec=|congress=}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cataldo, Sam}} Category:1937 births Category:2018 deaths Category:Republican Party New Hampshire state senators Category:Politicians from Lawrence, Massachusetts Category:Republican Party members of the New Hampshire House of Representatives Category:United States Air Force airmen Category:Northeastern University alumni Category:University of Massachusetts Lowell alumni Category:People from Farmington, New Hampshire Category:Road incident deaths in New Hampshire Category:21st-century members of the New Hampshire General Court