Northern California Republican Congressman Doug LaMalfa dies at 65
Republican Congressman Doug LaMalfa dies
Farmer and House GOP Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-Calif., died Tuesday at the age of 65, according to his colleagues, narrowing a political divide in the House.
CHICO, Calif. - Rice farmer and House GOP Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-Calif., died Tuesday at the age of 65, according to his colleagues, narrowing a political divide in the House.
LaMalfa represented part of Northern California, chaired the Congressional Western Caucus and was a major critic of California's Democrats who were successful in passing Prop. 50, a redrawing of congressional districts in a move he said was to "solely benefit personal political ambitions."
"It was a very sad morning. He was truly a dear friend for the last 25 years," said Ned Coe, Chair of the Modoc County Board of Supervisors in far northeastern California. Supervisor Coe said having a representative like LaMalfa, with firsthand knowledge of rural issues, was critical for small and rural counties.
"Not only did he have the knowledge firsthand of agriculture and rural counties and he lived it every weekend when he would come home. The happiest day for Doug was when he was able to spend time on a tractor or in a truck hauling rice," Supervisor Coe said.
Big picture view:
LaMalfa’s death will have an immediate effect in the narrowly divided House.
Speaker Mike Johnson can now only afford to lose two Republicans in any party-line vote. The current House makeup stands at 218 Republicans and 213 Democrats.
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What we don't know:
The Butte County Sheriff said they received a 911 call from LaMalfa's house on Monday before 7 p.m. regarding a medical emergency. LaMalfa was taken to Enloe Hospital where he died, the sheriff said, adding that there will be an investigation into exactly how he died.
Politico cited anonymous congressional colleagues who said LaMalfa suffered an aneurysm and then a heart attack.
Governor Gavin Newsom will now have 14 days in which to call a special election to fill LaMalfa's unexpired term. That special election will be held under the current district boundaries, and not the new boundaries under Proposition 50.
Menlo College Political Science Professor Dr. Melissa Michelson called LaMalfa's death "politically a big deal." Dr. Michelson believes due to LaMalfa's popularity in his existing district, he might have had a chance to hold the seat under the new boundaries. Now she believes the seat will likely flip to a Democrat. "There is always a chance that somebody who is a longstanding representative, who has a really positive reputation, will be able to overcome a gerrymander and still have a shot at getting reelected," Professor Michelson said.
What they're saying:
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., commented on LaMalfa's death on X.
"Jacquie and I are devastated about the sudden loss of our friend, Congressman Doug LaMalfa. Doug was a loving father and husband, and staunch advocate for his constituents and rural America. Our prayers are with Doug’s wife, Jill, and their children," Emmer wrote.
LaMalfa's death appears to have caught a majority of his colleagues by surprise, with tributes pouring out for the late congressman on Tuesday morning.
"Doug was a principled conservative and a tireless advocate for the people of Northern California. He was never afraid to fight for rural communities, farmers, and working families. Doug brought grit, authenticity, and conviction to everything he did in public service," said National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) Chairman Richard Hudson, R-N.C.
LaMalfa's House GOP colleague from California, Rep. Young Kim, R-Calif., said in a statement, "Doug was not only a respected colleague in the California Republican Delegation, but a genuinely kind, decent man who treated everyone with warmth and respect. His leadership, friendship, and steady presence will be deeply missed."
Dig deeper:
According to his biography, LaMalfa was a fourth-generation rice farmer and business owner who lived in Northern California all his life.
He earned his degree in Ag/Business from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.
In a post, California Rice News officials said they were "devastated" by LaMalfa's death.
"Northern California could not have asked for someone who cared more about their community and farms than Doug during his seven terms in Congress and eight years of service in the California legislature," the group wrote.
Doug was an early member of the Commission board, representing Butte County, as the organization met in its formative years to discuss grower representation, rice straw burning, water quality, and public outreach. He announced his run for the California Assembly at a CRC grower meeting in 2000.
LaMalfa was elected to the California State Assembly and State Senate before being elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2012.
In Congress, LaMalfa said that he had been a strong advocate for limited, constitutionally grounded government, fiscal restraint, and lower taxes. He also spoke out against Gov. Gavin Newsom's effort to redraw congressional districts to favor Democrats.
His district that includes Chico and Redding has been hit with numerous catastrophic fires that have killed over 100 people in recent years. His bio said that he had written and passed legislation to help citizens recover, including eliminating federal taxes on fire recovery settlements, and changing forest policy to reduce wildfire risks.