California Republican Assemblyman James Gallagher has secured a decisive victory in the special election to complete the late Congressman Doug LaMalfa’s term in the U.S. House of Representatives. Gallagher’s win was confirmed on Tuesday, affirming his stronghold in the northernmost district of California.
With over half of the votes counted in this predominantly Republican region, Gallagher garnered 62.6% of the vote, comfortably surpassing the 50% threshold required to avoid an August runoff. Meanwhile, the contest for second place saw Democratic State Senator Mike McGuire narrowly leading fellow Democrat Audrey Denney by a mere 37 votes, with both candidates capturing 17.9% of the electorate’s favor.
The special election arose following the untimely death of LaMalfa, who had represented the district since 2013, on January 6 due to a heart attack brought on by an aortic dissection. The 65-year-old congressman was a seasoned Republican voice in the area.
After his victory was announced by the Associated Press, Gallagher expressed mixed emotions in an interview with KRCR-TV. “It’s a mix of emotions,” he shared. “Missing Congressman Doug LaMalfa, who is a mentor to me, but also just feeling overwhelmed by the amount of support that we’ve had tonight.”
Gallagher, at 45, has been a prominent figure in the State Assembly, representing the rural expanse north of Sacramento since December 2014. His transition to Congress maintains the district’s Republican representation.
With Gallagher’s triumph, the current composition of the House stands at 218 Republicans, 212 Democrats, and one independent, Kevin Kiley of California, who was formerly a Republican. The House now faces four vacancies pending future elections.
The next open seat will be filled June 16, when a special election will be held to replace Rep. Eric Swawell (D-Calif.), who resigned in disgrace April 14 following multiple allegations of sexual misconduct, including harassment and rape.
