Sudden death of Republican lawmaker makes GOP House margin three votes

California Republican Congressman Doug LaMalfa (pictured) has suddenly passed away at the age of 65, per statements issued by his CapitolHill colleagues on Tuesday. National Republican Campaign Committee Chairman Richard Hudson called LaMalfa ‘a principled conservative and a tireless advocate for the people of Northern California.’ ‘He was never afraid to fight for rural communities, farmers, and working families. Doug brought grit, authenticity, and conviction to everything he did in public service,’ Hudson also noted. House Republican Majority Whip Tom Emmer described LaMalfa as ‘a loving father and husband, and staunch advocate for his constituents and rural America.’

LaMalfa’s death imperils the Republican House majority, leaving Speaker Mike Johnson with just a three-vote margin after the formal resignation of Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor-Greene on Monday. House makeup is presently 218 Republicans to 213 Democrats, leaving Republicans able to lose no more than three votes on any party-line measure, assuming full attendance and participation. It was also revealed Tuesday that Indiana Republican Congressman Jim Baird, aged 80, has been hospitalized after a car accident.

Democrats are set to gain one additional vote in their caucus after a runoff election in Texas later this month to replace Congressman Sylvester Turner, who passed away last March, taking the Republican margin down to two votes. Another special election will take place to replace former New Jersey Democratic Congresswoman Mikie Sherill (pictured) in April after she was elected the state’s governor in November.

Speaking to House Republicans during a political meeting at the Kennedy Center Tuesday, President Donald Trump noted that he ‘was thinking about not even doing the speech in [LaMalfa’s] honor, but then I decided that I have to do it in his honor. I’ll do it in his honor, because he would have wanted it that way.’ Trump also noted that LaMalfa voted with him ‘100 percent of the time.’ LaMalfa served as Chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus, and was a member of the Agriculture Committee.

Before his election to Congress in 2012, LaMalfa served in the California Senate and state assembly. He was also a fourth-generation rice farmer. After the passage of California’s Prop 50 redistricting ballot measure last November, LaMalfa’s seat landed on the Democrat list of pickup targets in this year’s midterm election. LaMalfa planned to run again for his seat, despite the new district lines.