US President Donald Trump has ordered flags to be flown at half-staff across the country until Wednesday evening in honor of California Congressman Doug LaMalfa, who died suddenly on Tuesday morning after suffering a local aortic aneurysm during surgery.
LaMalfa, a fourth-generation rice farmer and businessman, was known for his advocacy on rural issues. Trump described him as a "true American patriot" in a message on his Truth Social platform.
The California Governor, Gavin Newsom, has been left with the daunting task of calling for a special election to fill LaMalfa's seat within 14 calendar days of the vacancy. According to state law, the election must take place on a Tuesday between 126 days and 140 days following the proclamation.
LaMalfa's district will be represented by a new map drawn up as part of the 2020 voter-approved Prop 50 redistricting. However, in the case of a vacancy before those new lines are used, the replacement election is held in the old lines.
In this instance, the new lines would result in LaMalfa's district stretching west and gaining more Democratic voters, which could potentially affect the outcome of the midterms that will use the voter-approved Prop 50 redistricting map.
LaMalfa, a fourth-generation rice farmer and businessman, was known for his advocacy on rural issues. Trump described him as a "true American patriot" in a message on his Truth Social platform.
The California Governor, Gavin Newsom, has been left with the daunting task of calling for a special election to fill LaMalfa's seat within 14 calendar days of the vacancy. According to state law, the election must take place on a Tuesday between 126 days and 140 days following the proclamation.
LaMalfa's district will be represented by a new map drawn up as part of the 2020 voter-approved Prop 50 redistricting. However, in the case of a vacancy before those new lines are used, the replacement election is held in the old lines.
In this instance, the new lines would result in LaMalfa's district stretching west and gaining more Democratic voters, which could potentially affect the outcome of the midterms that will use the voter-approved Prop 50 redistricting map.
... so sad for Doug LaMalfa, he seemed like a down-to-earth guy 
. The fact that Trump is paying respects to him on his platform is interesting tho 
... I mean, it's always good to acknowledge the passing of someone who's made an impact in their community 
. But can you imagine having to deal with calling a special election so quickly? 
It's gotta be tough for Gavin Newsom and the team trying to get everything sorted out 
. The timing also brings up some interesting questions about how this might affect the midterms... if the district gains more Dem voters, could it sway the outcome of those elections? 
. And let's be real, it's gonna be super awkward for Newsom to call for a special election this soon. Like, how are they even supposed to prepare for that? The timing seems way off for a midterms effect 
. What's next, having all politicians attend the funeral and then promptly campaign from their podiums? 
just think about all those people who were affected by aortic aneurysm during surgery... it's like a huge shock to his family and friends 
and I'm sure he'll be deeply missed by the whole community in California 
but, 14 days is kinda short for a special election, don't you think? 
i mean, what if there are some last-minute changes to prop 50 that could affect the midterms too? 
just saw the news about Doug LaMalfa... poor guy was just doing his job & suddenly taken away from us 
my heart goes out to his family & friends who have to navigate this tough time 
as for the midterms, I think it's a shame that a special election is gonna affect the outcome... can't we just focus on bringing people together instead of making it all about party lines? 
. I guess its all about being prepared for unexpected events, and Californias not taking anything for granted 
.
. Now we gotta think about how this is gonna affect the elections in California, especially with Prop 50 changing the maps 
. It's gonna be interesting to see how all this plays out, but let's not forget LaMalfa was all about helping rural areas, so I'm sure he'd want us to focus on supporting those communities