Steve Vaillancourt, a 10-term state representative known for his colorful floor speeches, died at age 65, lawmakers said.
“He was a spicy representative whose floor speeches kept us spellbound and amused,” Republican Rep. Neal Kurk said Monday before dedicating a moment of silence in Vaillancourt’s honor.
The time and cause of Vaillancourt’s death weren’t immediately known. Lawmakers asked the police to check on Vaillancourt on Monday morning when he didn’t show up for a House Finance Committee budget hearing, Kurk said. The police found him dead in his home.
Vaillancourt had been suffering health problems and recently had a heart-related surgery, Kurk said.
Vaillancourt, a Republican from Manchester, built a reputation as an outspoken lawmaker unafraid to wade into controversy. In 2012, he was kicked out of the House chamber after shouting the Nazi salute “Sieg Heil” when then-Speaker Bill O’Brien, a fellow Republican, shut down debate on a bill.
Two years after that, he made headlines after remarks about the appearance of U.S. Rep. Annie Kuster compared to her opponent in the 2014 election, Republican Marilinda Garcia. He said he saw a poll saying attractive candidates are more likely to win than unattractive ones and called Garcia “truly attractive.”
In 2007, he accused his former roommate and friend Ray Buckley, then a candidate for chairman of the New Hampshire Democratic Party, of formerly possessing child pornography. The Attorney General’s Office found no evidence to support his claim.
During House debates, Vaillancourt often would deliver passionate floor speeches on the issues of the day, from marijuana legalization to a ban on election ballot selfies. He was a strong proponent of legislation aimed at ending animal cruelty.