Farm champion Rep. Doug LaMalfa of California dies, reducing GOP's
narrow control of the House
[January 07, 2026]
By TRÂN NGUYỄN, MIKE CATALINI and KEVIN FREKING
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Republican Doug LaMalfa, a California rice
farmer who served seven terms in the U.S. House and was a reliable vote
on President Donald Trump's agenda, has died at age 65.
His death trims the Republicans’ narrow margin of control of the House
to 218 seats to Democrats’ 213.
The congressman experienced a medical emergency Monday night and was
taken to a local hospital, where he died during a surgical procedure,
the Butte County sheriff’s office said Tuesday. Officials haven't
disclosed the cause of his death.
Trump expressed “tremendous sorrow” over LaMalfa’s death as he addressed
a meeting of House Republicans on Tuesday, lamenting the loss of a
lawmaker he championed as an ally for his agenda. He said the late
congressman “wasn’t a 3 o’clock in the morning person” like other
lawmakers he would call in the wee hours to lobby for their votes.
“He voted with me 100% of the time,” Trump said. “With Doug, I never had
to call.”
Longtime public servant
LaMalfa, a fourth-generation rice farmer, was elected to Congress in
2012 after serving in the state Legislature. He represented California's
1st District, which covered a vast portion of the state's rural North,
spanning from the Oregon border down to just north of the capital,
Sacramento.
He was a regular presence on the House floor, helping GOP leadership
open the chamber and frequently offering his view on local and national
affairs. He served on the House Agriculture Committee and as the
chairman of a subcommittee with jurisdiction over forestry issues. He
also served on committees dealing with transportation and natural
resource issues.
LaMalfa had planned to run for reelection despite his district being
dramatically redrawn under a ballot measure passed by California voters
in November. The measure, backed by Democrats, was designed to make it
harder for LaMalfa and four other Republicans to win reelection.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, must call a special election
to replace LaMalfa, his office said. The election could happen as late
as June, when California will hold its primary for the 2026 midterm.
A focus on rural issues, wildfire prevention
LaMalfa's colleagues, staff members and friends said he cared deeply
about his district, often driving far distances to check in with
constituents and working on key local issues such as wildfire prevention
and water storage.
"He would show up at the smallest events that were important in people’s
lives in this district,” recalled David Reade, a former chief of staff
of LaMalfa’s from the state legislature. “He would drive literally
hundreds and hundreds of miles to be there.”
His current chief of staff, Mark Spannagel, who started working for him
in 2002, said the congressman was a “deeply funny guy." He was obsessed
with cars, often showing up at events with grease under his fingernails,
and he loved classic rock and the “Austin Powers” movies, Spannagel
said.
[to top of second column]
|
Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-Calif., speaks during a press conference in
Chico, Calif., , Oct. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez, FIle)
“He’s probably one of the most normal people in Congress, down to
earth,” he said in a phone interview. “You want to sit there and
have an iced tea with him.”
LaMalfa once traveled to multiple Veterans Affairs offices in
Washington to advocate for a constituent, Spannagel said. He also
would host town halls and political events in small towns in his
district to meet more constituents.
“Just because, ‘Why not? We’re gonna go do them. We’re gonna be
there. Let those people be heard, too,’" he said. “It’s not all
about the biggest city or the biggest town.”
One of his priorities in Congress was advocating for wildfire
mitigation and protecting victims, said state Assembly member James
Gallagher, who called LaMalfa his “big brother.”
LaMalfa successfully passed legislation in 2024 to exempt wildfire
relief payments from federal income taxes. It came after parts of
his district were ravaged by the deadliest wildfire in state history
in 2018. President Joe Biden signed it into law. LaMalfa also called
for increased water storage and for more forest management to reduce
the threat of wildfires.
But LaMalfa's unwavering support of Trump has prompted frustration
for some voters in recent years. Some were hoping to oust him during
the midterm election because of his vote for Trump's plan to
overhaul health care, food assistance and other rural resources.
LaMalfa was met with yelling and booing at several town halls last
year.
National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Richard Hudson
called LaMalfa “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,” Hudson said. "Doug brought grit, authenticity,
and conviction to everything he did in public service.”
C-SPAN in a recent compilation said LaMalfa gave at least one set of
remarks for the record on 81 days in 2025. Only two other lawmakers
spoke on the House floor more frequently.
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York called for a
moment of silence in honor of LaMalfa at the start of a panel at the
Capitol commemorating the fifth anniversary of the Jan. 6, 2021,
attack.
___
Catalini reported from Trenton, N.J., and Freking from Washington.
Associated Press writer Darlene Superville in Washington contributed
to this report.
All contents © copyright 2026 Associated Press. All rights reserved |
