Republican Rep. Doug LaMalfa dies at 65, GOP says

California Republican Rep. Doug LaMalfa has died, House GOP officials said on Tuesday. He was 65.

LaMalfa’s death tightens the razor-thin House majority and could imperil Speaker Mike Johnson’s grip on the House. The House stood at 219 Republicans and 213 Democrats after Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., resigned on Monday. LaMalfa’s death brings the House to 218 Republicans.

Democrats are favored to pick up additional seats from special elections in the coming months. Two Democrats are in a runoff in Texas at the end of the month, and the election to replace now-New Jersey Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill will take place later this year.

LaMalfa represented California’s 1st Congressional District since 2013. He chaired the Congressional Western Caucus.

A rice farmer by trade, LaMalfa was a key player on California water issues and served on the House Natural Resources and Agriculture Committees. He also served on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

His electoral prospects, however, were increasingly at risk in 2026 after California adopted new congressional maps that favor Democrats.

President Donald Trump on Tuesday mourned LaMalfa in remarks before the House GOP conference.

“He was a fantastic person,” Trump said. “He voted with me 100% of the time.”

House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., said in a post to X he’s “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,” Emmer said.

A cause of death has not been released.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom now has 14 days to announce a special election to replace LaMalfa, per California election laws. The election then must take place no more than 140 days after Newsom’s proclamation — potentially pushing an election to replace LaMalfa to June.

This story is developing. Please check back for updates.

Correction: There are 213 Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives. That fact was misstated in an earlier version of this article.