WH Slams Newsom Over Delayed Calif. Special Election

The White House on Tuesday blasted California Gov. Gavin Newsom for setting an Aug. 4 special election to replace late Rep. Doug LaMalfa, calling the schedule a politically motivated delay that could complicate President Donald Trump's agenda in a narrowly divided House.

White House deputy chief of staff James Blair said Newsom waited "until the last day, statutorily," to call the election and accused the Democrat governor of leaving a Republican-leaning seat vacant for as long as possible after LaMalfa's death.

"You see Gavin Newsom, who's going to keep the seat open in California as long as humanly possible — really shameful thing he's doing when a rep died there," Blair said.

Newsom issued the proclamation Friday, setting the contest for Tuesday, Aug. 4, the latest date allowed under California law.

California's 1st Congressional District, which stretches across a wide swath of rural Northern California, became vacant after LaMalfa, 65, died following what local authorities described as a medical emergency.

The timing matters because House Republicans are operating with little margin for error. LaMalfa's death, combined with the resignation of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., earlier this month, left Republicans with a 218-213 edge, according to Roll Call.

With that split, a handful of absences or defections can stall legislation, raising the leverage of small blocs of lawmakers and making vote counting more precarious for Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and GOP leaders.

California law generally requires a special election within 200 days of the governor's proclamation. Still, there is a chance the vacancy could be filled sooner than August.

Under the state's process, an Aug. 4 special election would be preceded by a June 2 primary, and a candidate could win outright in June by topping 50%, avoiding an additional round, according to Roll Call and reporting from Sacramento.

National Republicans also criticized the delay. Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., who chairs the National Republican Congressional Committee, said voters in the district were being denied representation "for purely political reasons."

LaMalfa had represented the district since 2013 and was known for focusing on agriculture, water, and forestry issues, particularly as California confronts wildfire and land-management debates.

The district has leaned Republican in recent cycles. LaMalfa defeated Democrat Rose Penelope Yee in 2024, winning about two-thirds of the vote, according to certified results summarized by Ballotpedia.

The dispute mirrors a recent fight in Texas, where Democrats criticized Gov. Greg Abbott for scheduling a special election months after the March 2025 death of Democrat Rep. Sylvester Turner.