Meet Doug LaMalfa, One of The Most Unique California Congressman to Ever Take Office

Doug LaMalfa is Northern California’s Congressional Representative for the 1st District of California. The district, the second-largest in the state, covers nearly all of interior northern California including Chico, Redding, Susanville and Truckee. LaMalfa has been the representative since 2013.

He has been a life-long resident of this area and is a fourth-generation rice farmer. He and his wife, Jill, along with their four children, make their home on the family rice farm in Richvale, a rural unincorporated community south of Chico that was founded by his great-grandfather in 1931.

LaMalfa is a republican who leans toward a very conservative slant. Prior to working in Washington DC, he served in the California Assembly. He is considered to be an early supporter of Proposition 209 which ended Affirmative Action in California and then he worked very hard in the state to pass the Marriage Protection Act. This Act at the time banned same sex marriage in California, but of course was overturned by the courts.

LaMalfa was a co-author of ACA 20, which, similar to Arizona's new law, would empower law enforcement to act as Immigration, Customs Enforcement Agents and would have cracked down on illegal immigration. ACA 20 failed to pass the first hearing by a 3-to-6 vote.

In 2007, he successfully passed AB 1645, a law that would prevent seizures of firearms in the event of an emergency or natural disaster. This was the first pro-gun legislation passed and signed into law in a decade. When LaMalfa was named the California Rifle and Pistol Association's “Legislator of the Year” for 2007, he said, “Receiving this award today from the California Rifle and Pistol Association is a truly humbling honor.”

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Doug LaMalfa’s record is no secret about how he stands on the issues. In the state of California where people often lean liberal on family issues, LaMalfa is extremely vocal on his views of gay marriage. A marriage is to be between one man and one woman. He feared that legalizing it would “open the floodgates” for polygamy to be legalized. He believes marriage is “an institution created by God and was supposed to be held up and respected by men women.

LaMalfa's website states that he is “proud to have earned an A rating and the endorsements of the NRA and Gun Owners of America.” He has received $13,500 from the NRA.

“Doug LaMalfa shows up at town hall meetings whether he is in campaigning or not,” said one democratic constituent. “I’ve seen him come to a meeting and get yelled at by everyone and he stays and answers questions and keeps his cool. You can tell he’s lived here a long time and these people are truly his priority.”

She went on to say, “I’ve emailed him and voiced my concerns and he responds. We do not agree, but he always responds.”

LaMalfa has another election of course, in 2020. And a lot is riding on this election in many other districts across the nation as well. We can be sure LaMalfa’s race will be one to watch in California. This will be his first race after the fire in Paradise, California. The fire and the aftermath are sure to be part of the discussion as well as the drama in the White House.