The vacancy created by California Rep. Doug LaMalfa's death will now be filled in a new special election. Gov. Gavin Newsom has 14 days to proclaim the special election and set a date.

LaMalfa's closest political and personal allies are not ready to discuss that pending campaign yet. Assemblymember James Gallagher (R-Yuba City) held back tears as he remembered his friend and mentor and looked to the inevitable campaign to fill his vacancy.

"It's really hard not to think about the 'north state' and Doug in it," Gallagher said. "I don't know. The LaMalfa team, I think, is just all reeling right now, you know?"

California law requires a special election for a congressional vacancy to be held within 200 days of a proclamation for it.

That could make the election June 2, the same day as a planned 2026 midterm election. The special election primary would need to be nine weeks ahead of that, on March 31.

Republican strategist Matt Rexroad calls Gallagher a front-runner to declare, although more Republican candidates will likely also seek the vacant seat.

"A Republican will end up being elected to hold this seat, but there's an awful lot of egos in politics and so while a lot of people may be uniting behind Assemblyman Gallagher as the likely choice there's a lot of people who throughout Northern California wake up in the mirror and think they're looking at a future member of congress," Rexroad said. 

Republican strategist Tab Berg said he would advise holding off on announcing a candidacy until after the special election date is set.

"Of course, we have to prepare. The country has to move on. We have to send out prayers to his wife, Jill, and their kids, but we have to now start preparing," Berg said.

LaMalfa, a Republican, had held the seat for more than a decade.

"For my part, I just want to make sure people know who this guy was," Gallagher said.

This special election will use the current congressional maps, not the new Proposition 50 lines that voters approved in November, which are redrawn to favor Democrats.

However, the new Proposition 50 lines will be used for the 2026 congressional election, which will be in campaign mode at the exact same time.