CALIFORNIA REP. DOUG LAMALFA DIES, NARROWING GOP HOUSE MAJORITY TO 218-213.(PHOTO).

 California Rep. Doug LaMalfa dies, narrowing GOP House majority to 218-213

  Republican Rep. Doug LaMalfa of California, a seven-term lawmaker known for his steadfast support of President Donald Trump, has died at age 65, narrowing the GOP’s slim majority in the House to 218-213.

LaMalfa’s passing was confirmed by House Majority Whip Tom Emmer and National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Richard Hudson. Trump expressed deep sorrow over the loss, calling LaMalfa a reliable ally who voted with him on every issue and noting that he never had to call him in the middle of the night to secure a vote. “I was really saddened by his passing,” Trump said, adding that he gave a speech in LaMalfa’s honor because “he would have wanted it that way.”

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York led a moment of silence for LaMalfa during a panel marking the fifth anniversary of the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. The circumstances of LaMalfa’s death have not been publicly disclosed.

LaMalfa represented California’s 1st Congressional District in the northern part of the state, including Redding and areas near the Oregon border, extending just north of Sacramento. Despite his district being redrawn under a recent ballot measure, LaMalfa had planned to run for reelection.

California Governor Gavin Newsom must now call a special election to fill the vacant seat, which could coincide with the state’s June primary for the 2026 midterms.

Hudson described LaMalfa as “a principled conservative and a tireless advocate for the people of Northern California,” praising his commitment to rural communities, farmers, and working families. LaMalfa, a former state legislator and rice farmer, was first elected to Congress in 2012 and remained a frequent presence on the House floor, giving at least 81 sets of remarks in 2025 alone—one of the most active lawmakers that year.