California Rep. Doug LaMalfa dies at 65

WASHINGTON — Republican Rep. Doug LaMalfa, a fourth-generation rice farmer from Northern California known for his focus on agriculture and forestry policies, died Tuesday at age 65.

“Early this morning Congressman Doug LaMalfa returned home to the Lord,” his chief of staff, Mark Spannagel, said in a statement. “Congressman LaMalfa cared deeply for the people he served and worked tirelessly to hold the government to its word to fix our failing forests, build water storage, and leave people to be free to choose what is best for themselves.”

His office did not release a cause of death but characterized it as “unexpected.”

LaMalfa’s death further erodes the Republican majority in the House: With Monday’s resignation of Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, the GOP will hold a 218-213 advantage in the chamber, with two Democratic vacancies and two Republican vacancies.

Tributes poured in from both sides of the aisle Tuesday for LaMalfa, who was chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus.

Speaking at House Republicans’ retreat in Washington, President Donald Trump said he was “really saddened” by the news and called LaMalfa a “fantastic person.”

House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., called LaMalfa “a loving father and husband, and staunch advocate for his constituents and rural America.”

North Carolina Rep. Richard Hudson, the chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee, said LaMalfa was a “principled conservative” and “was never afraid to fight for rural communities, farmers, and working families [and] brought grit, authenticity, and conviction to everything he did in public service.”

California Rep. Young Kim praised her fellow Republican as a “genuinely kind, decent man who treated everyone with warmth and respect.”

California Sen. Adam B. Schiff, a Democrat who served with LaMalfa in the House, called him a “friend and partner.”

“Above all, he was deeply committed to his community and constituents, working to make life better for those he represented,” Schiff said on social media.

First elected in 2012, LaMalfa represented California’s sprawling 1st District, a largely rural stretch that reaches from the northern suburbs of Sacramento to the Oregon state line and includes the cities of Chico, Redding and Yuba City.

The district was reshaped last year under a new Democrat-drawn map that California voters approved in response to mid-decade redistricting in GOP-controlled Texas. Under the new lines, the 1st District now extends south along the Pacific Coast into blue-leaning wine country, transforming from a Solid Republican seat that Trump carried by 25 points in 2024 to one that Kamala Harris would have carried by 12 points, according to Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales.

LaMalfa was already facing several Democratic opponents, including educator Audrey Denney, who lost to him in both 2018 and 2020, and Mike McGuire, the former leader of the California Senate.

Under California law, Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, has 14 days to schedule a special election to fill LaMalfa’s seat. The rules also stipulate that the election must take place between 126 and 140 days following the vacancy. The special election would be held under the current district lines, not the redrawn ones. Under California rules, all candidates will run on the same ballot, with the top two vote-getters, regardless of party, advancing to the special general election.

In Congress, LaMalfa was a senior member of the Agriculture Committee and chaired its Subcommittee on Forestry and Horticulture. He also served on the Transportation and Natural Resources committees. In 2024, he was elected chair of the Congressional Western Caucus, which focuses on rural issues.

A staunch conservative who embraced a small-government ethos, LaMalfa was an advocate of proactive forest management and fewer regulatory hurdles, especially after watching a series of devastating forest fires rip through his rural district.

LaMalfa used the aftermath of the 2021 Dixie fire as a backdrop for a video address on behalf of the Republican Party, highlighting the destruction from the blaze and arguing for passage of GOP legislation intended to mitigate future problems and restore forest growth.

LaMalfa started out in politics by volunteering with the local Republican Party. He was first elected to the California State Assembly in 2002 and served for nearly a decade in the legislature, including a brief stint in the state Senate, before his election to Congress.

According to Spannagel, his chief of staff, LaMalfa is survived by his wife, Jill, four children and a grandchild.

“His tragic and unexpected passing leaves a deep impact on many,” Spannagel said.

There are currently four vacancies in the House, two for each party. Democrats are expected to fill one of them via a Jan. 31 all-Democratic special election runoff in Texas’ 18th District. New Jersey is scheduled to hold a special election in April to fill the seat of Democratic former Rep. Mikie Sherrill, who was elected governor last fall. A special election for Greene’s seat in Georgia is yet to be set.

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—Jackie Wang and Aidan Quigley contributed to this report.