Northern California Republican Congressman Doug LaMalfa dies at 65

CHICO, Calif. – House GOP Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-Calif., died Tuesday at the age of 65, according to his colleagues.

LaMalfa represented part of Northern California and was chair of the Congressional Western Caucus.

Big picture view:

His death brings House Republicans’ majority down from 218 to 213. 

House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., confirmed LaMalfa’s death on X, but did not state how he died. 

“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. 

With his death and the recent resignation of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., House Republicans currently can lose only two votes to still pass anything along party lines.

It’s a perilously slim majority as Republicans kick off the second half of the 119th Congress with hopes of passing a second “big, beautiful bill.”

What they’re saying:

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.

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. 

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.

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