Doug LaMalfa served as the representative for California's 1st Congressional District, which includes Chico, Redding and Yuba City.
LaMalfa was a fourth-generation rice farmer, who served in the California State Assembly and state Senate before being elected to Congress in 2012. He was seen as a reliable voice for conservatives in rural parts of the state, and won the 2024 election with 65 percent of the vote.
He was vehemently opposed to Proposition 50, California’s redistricting measure which passed in a special election in 2025. He argued that the state’s farmworkers and laborers are underappreciated by those who live in the state’s denser, more urban regions.
According to the Butte County Sheriff's Office, he died during surgery after experiencing a medical emergency on Monday night. He is survived by his wife, Jill, four children, and one grand-child.
Governor Gavin Newsom has two weeks to call a special election to determine who will finish the remainder of LaMalfa’s term, which ends in January 2027.
