Katcho Achadjian, a longtime local politician who served as both a state assemblyman and San Luis Obispo County supervisor, has died.
Achadjian died Thursday, his family confirmed to KSBY. He was 68 years old.
Achadjian was a prominent Republican figure on the Central Coast. He was elected to the county Board of Supervisors in 1998 and served until he was elected to the California State Assembly in 2010 to represent the 33rd District.
He later represented the 35th District, which encompasses San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties, after the district was redrawn in 2012.
He unsuccessfully ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in 2016, coming in third in the primary behind Salud Carbajal and Justin Fareed.
Jordan Cunningham, who succeeded Achadjian as 35th District Assemblyman, issued a statement on Achadjian’s legacy Thursday evening.
“Katcho was my friend and mentor,” Cunningham said. “He was a true public servant and an American success story. Katcho leaves a legacy of devotion to community, energetic representation, and consensus-building. Our sincerest condolences to his family for their loss. Today is a sad day for the Central Coast.”
Carbajal issued a statement on social media Thursday night, saying Achadjian was “a good man and a pillar in our community, he believed in the common good and worked to transcend partisanship. Katcho taught us to always strive for what’s best for our communities, and he delivered results.
“He was a dedicated advocate for the recognition of the Armenian genocide in the state legislature, and he prompted me to take federal action to do the same. His passion and commitment were clear to all lucky enough to know him. My heartfelt condolences go out to his family.”
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