Rep. Doug LaMalfa, Influential Northern California Lawmaker, Dies at 65
Republican Rep. Doug LaMalfa, a longtime and influential politician in Northern California, has died at the age of 65.
LaMalfa represented California’s 1st Congressional District since 2013, covering much of the rural North State, including Redding, Chico, and large portions of the Sacramento Valley. Before serving in Congress, he held seats in both the California State Assembly and Senate. A rice farmer by trade, LaMalfa built his political career around advocating for agriculture, water reliability, and rural communities.
He was one of Northern California’s most influential leaders in ongoing water rights battles, frequently pushing back against state and federal policies he believed limited water access for farmers and communities. In recent years, LaMalfa was also a leading critic of wolf reintroduction and expansion in Northern California, arguing that growing wolf populations posed risks to livestock, ranchers, and public safety.
President Trump acknowledged LaMalfa’s death Tuesday, calling him a “fierce champion on California water issues.” Colleagues from both parties remembered him as a principled, determined advocate who fought relentlessly for the North State’s natural resources and way of life.
LaMalfa’s death leaves a significant void in Northern California politics and in national debates over water, land use, and wildlife management.
