GOP Congressman Dies Suddenly at 65

California was rocked Tuesday after longtime Republican congressman Doug LaMalfa died suddenly at the age of 65. The news was confirmed by GOP leaders and President Donald Trump, who called the loss “a gut punch for the entire country.”

LaMalfa represented California’s 1st Congressional District for more than a decade and was widely known in Washington as one of the loudest voices on agriculture, water rights, and rural America. His cause of death remains unconfirmed. A family spokesman said only that his wife, Jill, and their four children were “grieving a shocking and unexpected loss.”

A senior GOP aide told us, “No one saw this coming. Doug was in meetings last week. He was talking about forest management reforms. He was energized. This hit us hard.”

President Trump, who worked closely with LaMalfa on Western land-use issues, delivered an emotional message to House Republicans Tuesday morning.

“He was a fierce champion on California water issues. He was great on water,” Trump said. “He fought for American children. He fought for farmers. He fought for the forgotten men and women of this country. Our hearts go out to Jill and their family.”

Trump also recalled private conversations with LaMalfa, saying the California congressman “never cared about the cameras — he cared about the dirt under his boots and the people who elected him.”

The shock on Capitol Hill was immediate.

House Majority Whip Tom Emmer called LaMalfa’s death “devastating.”

“Doug was a loving father and husband, and a relentless advocate for rural America,” Emmer said. “He lived his values. He served with heart. Our prayers are with Jill and their children.”

Rep. Greg Murphy of North Carolina added, “I am deeply stunned and incredibly saddened. Doug was one of the good ones. He never walked away from a tough fight.”

LaMalfa’s passing plunges House Republicans deeper into a numbers crisis.

Just 24 hours earlier, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene retired — already shrinking the majority. With LaMalfa gone, Republicans hold a razor-thin 218–213 edge, a margin so slim leadership can afford to lose only two votes on any major bill.

And more trouble is coming. A January 31 special election in Texas is almost certain to hand Democrats another seat.

One senior Republican acknowledged: “We’re operating with a majority that barely exists on paper.”

The challenges mount further with Rep. Jim Baird of Indiana, 80, still recovering from a serious car crash.

LaMalfa becomes the first sitting representative to die in 2026 — and the fourth member of the 119th Congress to pass away. The chamber has also seen an unusual wave of early resignations from both parties, leaving four current vacancies.

“It feels like the institution itself is under stress,” a former House parliamentarian told us. “We’ve never seen turnover like this.”

LaMalfa was more than a California conservative. He was a farmer, a policy hawk, and one of the last remaining experts on the arcane, often-explosive battles over Western water allocation.

He chaired the Congressional Western Caucus and was known for his coalition-building among rural Democrats and Republicans.

“He understood water the way some people understand football,” one longtime staffer said. “He could explain the entire Colorado River system on a napkin.”

He was also a target of California Democrats, who sought to weaken his political influence as part of their pushback against Texas’ aggressive redistricting.

Rep. Richard Hudson of North Carolina, a close friend, offered one of the most personal tributes.

“Doug was a principled conservative with grit and authenticity,” Hudson said. “He was a gearhead. He loved NASCAR. He loved talking about farming like it was a sport. I will deeply miss my amigo.”

LaMalfa leaves behind his wife, Jill, and their four children. Friends say he planned to run again in 2026 and had recently spoken about “the most productive legislative year of his career.”

A neighbor in Northern California told local reporters, “Doug was the same man in Washington that he was at home — straight-talking, loyal, and grounded. This community is hurting.”

Funeral details have not yet been released.