Democrat Fundraising Begins Less Than 24 Hours After GOP Lawmaker’s Funeral

California Democrats wasted no time fundraising for the state’s now-open congressional seat, sending an email to donors less than 24 hours after Republican California Rep. Doug LaMalfa’s funeral.

LaMalfa, who represented California’s 1st Congressional District since 2013, died Jan. 6 at age 65 after suffering an aneurysm followed by a heart attack. Republicans and Democrats gathered Saturday afternoon for a memorial service to remember the late lawmaker. By Sunday, however, California Democrats had sent out a fundraising email tied to the special election to fill his seat, according to KCRA3 Political Director Ashley Zavala.

Screenshots of the email show Democrats urging supporters to “rush a donation right now to fund the organizing that will flip seats up and down the state.”

“With the Republican U.S. House Majority essentially down to zero, flipping this seat from re to blue could give Democrats control of the U.S. House even before the midterms in November,” the email states. “Surprise twists like this are PROOF that keeping our Forever Organizing program year round is the right decision.”

“We have an opportunity to flip a red seat blue — and we are ready to act,” the email adds. “We haven’t stopped organizing in swing districts to take advantage of the opportunity Prop 50 has given us. California is ground zero for taking back the U.S. House, which is why we need you! Will you rush a rapid response donation right now?”

California’s congressional map is set to undergo major changes for Republicans following the approval of Proposition 50, Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom’s new gerrymandering maps, by voters in November 2025. Despite efforts