California Patriot Profile: The Late Congressman Doug LaMalfa, The Farmer Who Never Left Home
A fourth-generation rice farmer who represented Northern California in Congress — and brought his district’s priorities with him to Washington.
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My friend Doug LaMalfa passed away suddenly in early January following a medical emergency at his home in Richvale. He was 65. It was sudden. He didn’t get to say goodbye. And we, his family and friends, did not get to say goodbye either. I have sat down many times to try to write this — my “goodbye” — but I would get too emotional. But it was time, and here it is. Goodbye, Doug. I loved you in life, and I love you in heaven. And yes, I still drive a Ford (well, a Lincoln).
The Man From Richvale
Before he was a member of Congress, before he was a State Senator or Assemblyman, Doug LaMalfa was a fourth-generation rice farmer from Richvale, a small farming community in Butte County, just south of Chico.
And in many ways, that is exactly what he remained.
In an era when so many elected officials seem to evolve — or drift — once they arrive in Sacramento or Washington, Doug did not. He brought Richvale with him. The values, the perspective, the priorities. They did not change.
I first met Doug when he was an eager candidate for the California State Assembly. But we really got to know each other during his decade in the California Legislature, when I was making frequent trips to Sacramento as the publisher of the FlashReport Website on California Politics (which became this site last May). On virtually every visit, we would spend time together — and just as often, it was Doug reaching out to me. The bar between us was low.
Some of my fondest memories from those years were with Doug and many other legislators — but especially with Joel Anderson and Mark Wyland. Whenever Doug was involved, we somehow always ended up getting ice cream somewhere along the way.
I reached out to Joel, who also has an ache in his heart over the loss of a dear friend. He told me, “Doug was my roommate and my friend — a man with a stoic sense of humor, deep loyalty, and a genuine love of country. He worked long hours to make a real difference, always putting his family first.”
For Doug, it was never about status. It was about people. And you knew it. Because he treated all people the same, with dignity and respect.
A Different Kind Of Congressman
Doug LaMalfa was not a polished politician.
He was direct. Sometimes blunt. Always accessible.
Over the years, I had hundreds of conversations with him — and probably two or three times that number through texts or Facebook messages. The bar for Doug to reach out to Doug was very low. It did not matter whether the topic was politics, policy, or just something in the news — he engaged. And he was this way with many people.
That was not typical for a politician. Most people who spend years in elected office begin to build distance. Doug never did.
His chief of staff, my friend, Mark Spannagel, described him as deeply funny and the kind of person you would want to sit with over a glass of iced tea. I agree, plus ice cream!
He was the same guy in Congress that he was back home.
What He Fought For
Doug did not approach public policy as an abstract exercise.
The issues he focused on were the ones his constituents lived with every day.
Water policy was not theoretical — it was about whether farmers could plant their crops. Wildfire prevention was not a talking point — it was about protecting communities that faced real danger every year. Economic regulation was not ideological — it was about whether small businesses could survive.
He served on the House Agriculture Committee and became a leading voice on forestry and wildfire issues. He pushed for increased water storage, better forest management, and practical solutions rooted in the realities of rural California.
He was not trying to win arguments in Washington.
He was trying to solve problems back home.
The Details That Explain Everything
If you really wanted to understand Doug LaMalfa, you did not need to look at a legislative scorecard.
You needed to look at how he lived.
He loved classic American cars — especially Fords. He talked about them often. He worked on them himself. And more than once, he showed up to work with grease still on his hands.
When I bought my Lincoln Navigator in 2019, Doug had mixed feelings. He appreciated that it was built on a Ford chassis — “respectable,” he told me — but he made it clear that I should have bought a truck.
For a while after that, he called me “Limo Driver.”
Doug loved nicknames.
It was a small thing. But it told you everything you needed to know.
Perspective From Washington
I had the opportunity to visit Doug several times in Washington, D.C.
Every time, without fail, he would talk about the honor of serving in Congress. He understood the responsibility. He took it seriously.
But Doug’s patriotism was not shallow or ceremonial. He had a deep love of country, grounded in a clear understanding of America’s founding principles. He loved the Declaration of Independence, the history of our nation, and the idea that America was built on liberty, the consent of the governed, and strict limits on government power.
Doug’s conservatism was not a campaign slogan. It was central to who he was.
Looking out over Washington one evening from the Speaker’s patio overlooking Capitol Mall, he said to me:
“This will never be home. Home is my district. But this is where the fight is — for our freedoms.”
That was Doug.
Grounded in where he came from. Clear about what he believed. And fully aware of what was at stake.
Here’s a clip of the Congressman talking about High Speed Rail at a Press Conference last year…
So, Does It Matter?
In the end, you can often tell a great deal about a person by who shows up.
Doug LaMalfa’s memorial service in Chico drew thousands — a remarkable turnout that included Speaker Mike Johnson, former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, Governor Gavin Newsom, and Senator Adam Schiff.
Different parties. Different perspectives. The kind of group that rarely gathers in one place.
They showed up because Doug was respected — not because he changed who he was, but because he never did.
The day before he passed away, Doug commented on one of my Facebook posts — just as he had done countless times over the years. Always engaged. Always paying attention. Always part of the conversation.
He is survived by his wife, Jill, and their four children and their families, who were always at the center of his life. My prayers are with all of them.
Doug LaMalfa never stopped being the man from Richvale.
And that is exactly why he mattered.
If you are inclined you can search for some of the remarks from Doug’s funeral on YouTube. I don’t want to put them here. This profile is to celebrate the life of a great man, not to talk his passing, except as necessary context.
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Jon