Lawmakers mourn loss of Doug LaMalfa

Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-CA) died Tuesday at 65, prompting tributes from his colleagues across the political spectrum.

LaMalfa had represented California’s 1st Congressional District since 2013. Many of his fellow California representatives shared their memories with LaMalfa. Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA) served with LaMalfa in the House of Representatives before winning his Senate seat.

“I am deeply saddened by the death of Congressman Doug LaMalfa – who I considered a friend and partner,” Schiff wrote Tuesday on X. “Above all, he was deeply committed to his community and constituents, working to make life better for those he represented. Doug’s life was one of great service and he will be deeply missed.”

“I had the opportunity to work with Doug from our days in the California State Senate through our service in Congress,” Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA) wrote on X Tuesday. “Though we didn’t always see eye to eye, we put those differences aside to work together on issues where we did agree and that mattered deeply to Californians, including wildfire prevention, the protection of public lands, and tribal consultation.”

Rep. Young Kim (R-CA) also called LaMalfa a “dear friend.”

“For more than a decade, Doug served the people of California with integrity, conviction, and a deep love for our country,” Kim wrote Tuesday on X. “He was a strong conservative lawmaker who never wavered in his commitment to keeping the American Dream alive in California—standing up for working families, farmers, and small businesses when it mattered most.

“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.”

Fellow Rep. Tom McClintock (R-CA) reiterated LaMalfa’s legacy in an X post of his own.

“Doug LaMalfa was the kindest and most sincere person I have encountered in more than 40 years of public service,” McClintock wrote Tuesday. “Our nation, our state, and our community have all suffered an irreplaceable loss and rural America has lost its most indefatigable and effective advocate. My heart goes out to his family.”

House Republican Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain (R-MI) said she was “heartbroken” by the news of LaMalfa’s passing.

“Doug was a hardworking member of the House who fought tirelessly for the people of Northern California,” McClain wrote Tuesday on X.

Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA), a fellow farmer, noted the work LaMalfa accomplished for the farming community.

“Doug spent over a decade serving the good people of California’s First Congressional District, fighting to protect the rural way of life in his communities, and across our Nation,” Newhouse wrote Tuesday on X. “At the end of last Congress, he was unanimously elected Chairman of the Western Caucus, which is a testament to his dedication in defending the western way of life.”

President Donald Trump also offered his condolences to the LaMalfa family.

“I want to express our tremendous sorrow at the loss of a great member — a great, great, great member — Congressman Doug LaMalfa,” Trump said. “He was a defender of everybody. Our hearts go out to his wife, Jill, and his entire family. I was really saddened by his passing.”

Even former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) noted the effect LaMalfa had in the House.

DOUG LAMALFA WARNS PROPOSITION 50 COULD SILENCE CALIFORNIA’S RURAL VOICES

“It was with great sadness that I learned of the passing of my fellow Californian, Congressman Doug LaMalfa,” Pelosi said in a statement to the Washington Examiner. “His kindness and humor were well known among his colleagues — and while we did not agree on politics, our shared Italian American heritage brought us together.”

“May it be a comfort to his wife Jill, their four children, his loved ones, and all who are mourning his loss that so many in the Congress and in California are praying for them at this sad time,” Pelosi added.

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