Rep. Doug LaMalfa Dies at 65, GOP House Majority Narrows

Republican U.S. Representative Doug LaMalfa of California died unexpectedly at age 65, GOP officials announced Tuesday, narrowing the party's slim majority in the House of Representatives to 218 seats against Democrats' 213.

LaMalfa, who had represented California's 1st Congressional District since 2013, served as a seven-term lawmaker covering northern rural areas along the Oregon border, including the city of Redding and extending just north of Sacramento. The announcement came from House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, with confirmation from National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Richard Hudson. Details about the circumstances of LaMalfa's death were not immediately available.

A lifelong resident of northern California and a fourth-generation rice farmer, LaMalfa built a career focused on agriculture, water rights and rural development. Before entering Congress in 2012, he spent more than two decades in state government, serving in the California State Assembly and State Senate. In Washington, he became a familiar figure on the House floor, frequently delivering remarks on local and national issues. According to a recent C-SPAN compilation, he spoke on at least 81 days...