David Catania

David Catania


At-large D.C. Councilmember
In office 1998–2015
Preceded by	Arrington Dixon
Succeeded by	Elissa Silverman
Personal details
Born	(1968-01-16) January 16, 1968 (age 49) Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.
Political party	Republican (Before 2004) Independent (2004–present)
Alma mater	Georgetown University

David A. Catania (born January 16, 1968) is an American independent politician and lawyer from Washington, D.C. He was formerly an at-large member of the Council of the District of Columbia, which he gave up to pursue an unsuccessful run in the 2014 mayoral election.

Born in Kansas City, Missouri, Catania is a graduate of Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service and Georgetown University Law Center. He was elected to the Council as a Republican in a 1997 special election with 7% voter turnout, but elected to a full term in 1998, and re-elected in 2002 and 2006. Catania lives in the Dupont Circle neighborhood.

Catania was the first openly gay member of the D.C. Council and one of a small number of openly gay Republican office-holders. This led to a conflict within his party when President George W. Bush spoke in favor of an amendment to the United States Constitution to ban same-sex marriage. Catania opposed the amendment and became a vocal opponent of Bush's 2004 re-election. In response, the District of Columbia Republican Committee decertified him as a delegate to the 2004 Republican National Convention. Catania announced his endorsement of the Democratic presidential candidate, John Kerry, one week prior to the convention. In September 2004, Catania left the party and became an independent, citing his displeasure with its direction on urban and social issues. He was re-elected in 2006 and 2010 as an independent.