California GOP Rep. Doug LaMalfa Passes Away
We do not know the cause of death.
On Tuesday morning, the GOP announced Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-CA), 65, passed away suddenly.
“I am deeply saddened by the passing of my colleague and close friend, Congressman Doug LaMalfa,” National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Richard Hudson said in a statement. “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. I cherished our time serving together on the Agriculture Committee and discussing NASCAR- he was a real gear head and motorsports fan. I will deeply miss my ‘amigo.’ Renee and I are praying for his beloved wife Jill, as well as Kyle, Allison, Sophia, Natalie, and all his loved ones, friends and staff during this incredibly difficult time.”
Chairman @RepHudsonNC Statement on the Passing of Congressman Doug LaMalfa pic.twitter.com/ygEPmdoXye
— NRCC (@NRCC) January 6, 2026
The GOP did not release a cause of death.
“Jacquie and I are devastated about the sudden loss of our friend, Congressman Doug LaMalfa,” said Majority Whip Tom Emmer. 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.
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. pic.twitter.com/NsnxZsp2W3
— Tom Emmer (@GOPMajorityWhip) January 6, 2026
LaMalfa represented California’s 1st Congressional district since 2013.
He also chaired the Congressional Western Caucus.
LaMalfa’s passing leaves 218 Republicans, meaning the party can only afford two defections if all members are present and voting.
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Comments
rest in peace
if he was a dem
they would let him still run the district from his grave
Doug was a good man and will be missed by many.
RIP sir
Republicans are really hurting in the house
LaMalfa was a staunch defender of farming and water rights.
Grok – The current District 1 (California’s 1st Congressional District) is a heavily Republican area in mid-northern California, represented by Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R), who has won comfortably.
Under the Newsom-backed reconfiguration: The district was significantly altered by splitting the old boundaries and incorporating heavily Democratic areas.
It was divided into two new Democratic-favoring seats: one extending inland from Santa Rosa through Chico to the Nevada border, and another coastal district from Marin County northward to the Oregon border.
What’s the current D-R ration in the house and how many of those Rs are solid Rs?
It’s pretty close to 218 GoP/215 d/prog with two vacancies. The MTG resignation effective on 5 Jan and now the death of Lamalfa.
Depends what you mean by ‘solid’. If you mean more/less 85%+ committed to smaller gov’t, end to prolonged military adventures aka nation building, respecting Constitutional rights especially 2A while also seeking to vastly reduce ‘foreign aid’ in all forms, close the borders, deport illegal Aliens, put criminals in prison, end tranny nonsense, pro school choice with funding tied to student not the school…IOW the center/right populist, Tea party, MAGA, America First agenda ….maybe 4 or 5 dozen at the outside.
Thanks (sighs),
What I would like is the founders to visit today and after seeing the existing chaos and bad faith caused mostly by the democrats but not exempting the republicans have them re-write the constitution but with more and more protections. I think they did a pretty great job for their time and even for ours but they couldn’t foresee how half the country would essentially become un-American.
Maybe California should be split into north and south states?
No, because Dems would control both, and thus they’d get two extra senators and two extra electors.
Any split that didn’t benefit Dems would be dead on arrival because it would require the state legislature’s consent, and why would they consent to anything that reduced their power?
Maybe east/west. San Diego County and all east of the mountains that separate coastal CA could be East CA. North of San Diego and west of the mountains would be Coastal CA. Might have to include Camp Pendleton into ‘East CA’. While were at all this wish casting we should turn the Northern CA Counties loose to join ‘Greater Idaho’ along with much of western Oregon.
A sudden death like that is usually a heart attack or a stroke.
How is it that his position will just be left vacant? Seems highly unfair to the constituents of that district.
Huh? Where did you read that it will be left vacant? Within the next two weeks Newsome must call a special election. Even if he were to call it today, the earliest possible date would be May 12. But he will probably call it for June 2, since that is the same day as the statewide primaries for the November elections.
That is what I read also, from CA rules. Some states fill vacancies faster than others, and some states give governors more wiggle room to speed it up or slow-walk it.
The special to replace MTG is set for March 10, but in Georgia there will probably be a runoff afterward, in May or June.
How much pressure does this death (sad for his family) place on the GOP and Potus getting things done thru Congress?