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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The death on Monday of a longtime Northern California member of Congress will trigger a special election and impact the field forming to run for a newly redrawn congressional district.
Congressman Doug LaMalfa, representing the First Congressional District, died suddenly on Monday night. He was 65 years old.
The Butte County Sheriff’s Office said it received a 911 call at 6:50 p.m. Monday from LaMalfa’s Richvale residence regarding a medical emergency.
Authorities said the call was transferred to medical personnel, who immediately responded to the residence and transported LaMalfa to Enloe Hospital in Chico for treatment.
When he arrived at the hospital, he was taken into emergency surgery, where he died, the agency said.
“In accordance with standard protocols, the Coroner’s Unit of the Butte County Sheriff’s Office is conducting an investigation to determine the cause of death. A forensic pathologist is scheduled to conduct an autopsy as part of this investigation, according to the report.
Years of service in state, federal governments
LaMalfa was an Oroville native and rice farmer who served eight years in the California Legislature. During his tenure, he supported Proposition 209, which ended affirmative action in California and later supported Proposition 8 to ban same sex marriage in the state. He was an opponent of California’s bullet train.
He was elected in 2013 to the U.S. House of Representatives, where he served until his death. LaMalfa supported the overturning of Roe v. Wade, questioned climate change, voted against making Juneteenth a federal holiday and voted to cancel military support to Ukraine in its war with Russia.
LaMalfa was the part-owner of a family farm in Richvale that analysis by the Environmental Working Group, or EWG, found received more than $5.5 million in commodity and disaster subsidies from 1995 through 2024. The EWG also reported that LaMalfa's family business received the most in subsidies among all members of Congress and their immediate families for that period.
Despite his strong partisan stances, LaMalfa had worked often with Congressman Mike Thompson, a Democrat who represents Lake County.
Their latest bipartisan effort, announced last month, was to introduce a bill to deliver tariff relief for wine and specialty crop growers.
He and Thompson also aligned on other issues, including the effort to stop the removal of the Potter Valley Project, which will save Lake Pillsbury.
In December, LaMalfa sent a formal letter to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission opposing the request to decommission Scott and Cape Horn Dams, which create Lake Pillsbury and Van Arsdale Reservoir, respectively, which supply water for irrigation, residential use, and firefighting across Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino and Sonoma counties.
“The removal of these dams would have profound, far-reaching, and irreparable adverse consequences for the towns, farms, and natural environment in Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, and Sonoma counties and across Northern California,” LaMalfa’s letter said.
LaMalfa also has been a longtime supporter of the Sites Reservoir plan in the Sacramento Valley.
On Facebook Tuesday, Thompson posted, “Saddened by the loss of my longtime colleague, Doug LaMalfa. Doug was a lifelong Northern Californian who loved his community and I was glad to work with him often on bipartisan efforts to improve life for our constituents, including to support our farmers, help prevent fires, and tackle the home insurance crisis. Jan and I have Doug’s wife Jill, their children, and Doug’s staff in our prayers.”
Also on Tuesday, Gov. Gavin Newsom and his wife offered their condolences to LaMalfa’s family.
“Congressman Doug LaMalfa was a devoted public servant who deeply loved his country, his state, and the communities he represented. While we often approached issues from different perspectives, he fought every day for the people of California with conviction and care. He will be deeply missed,” Newsom said. “Jennifer and I are holding Doug’s family, loved ones, and colleagues in our thoughts as California mourns his passing.
Newsom ordered the flags at the State Capitol and Capitol Annex Swing Space to be flown at half-staff in LaMalfa’s honor.
Special election to be called; field begins to form for redrawn district
Based on protocols set out in the U.S. Constitution, it will be up to Newsom to call for a special election to fill LaMalfa’s seat for the remainder of his term, which was to run through the end of this year.
Regarding a U.S. House vacancy, California election code requires the governor issue a proclamation for a special election within 14 days of the vacancy. A copy of that proclamation must be sent to the board of supervisors of every affected county.
State election code further requires that the special election called by the governor must take place on a Tuesday at least 126 days after, but not more than 140 days after, the issuance of the proclamation.
That timing could coincide with the statewide primary. Newsom issued a proclamation on Monday setting the primary for Tuesday, June 2.
LaMalfa was due to seek reelection in that primary, but was expected to face serious challenges due to his First District having been redrawn by Proposition 50, passed by voters in a special election this past November to temporarily change congressional district maps. It was a response to a similar effort in Texas.
That redrawn First District will now include portions of Lake, Mendocino and Sonoma counties, along with Glenn, Tehama, Butte and Plumas.
As the move to redraw his district mounted, LaMalfa visited locations including Lake and Sonoma counties.
However, Congressman Mike Thompson told Lake County News that the new district is expected to flip from a Republican to a Democrat representative.
State Sen. Mike McGuire, whose district includes Lake County, is among those who have entered the race. He and his wife Erika also offered condolences to LaMalfa’s family, friends and colleagues on Monday.
“Public service is a noble calling, regardless of party, and Congressman LaMalfa’s dedication to serving the people of California deserves recognition, respect and gratitude,” said McGuire. “Our prayers are with his family and the communities he has proudly served.
In addition to McGuire, also actively in the race for the newly redrawn First District seat are Democrats Audrey Denney, a Chico resident who founded a business to work with nonprofits, and Kyle Wilson, a Santa Rosa attorney.
Other candidates in federal election filings are Democrat Casey Stewart of Rancho Cordova and Erica Rhoden of Long Beach, whose party affiliation is listed as “unknown.” Democrat James Salegui of Siskiyou County dropped out of the race in November after the redistricting was approved due to Prop. 50.
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