Redistricting and scheduling In 2025, California voters passed Proposition 50, an amendment to
California's constitution that supplanted the map created by the
California Citizens Redistricting Commission (CCRC) with a map that favors
Democratic candidates. As a result, District 1 was redrawn to favor Democrats much more, removing the Republican-leaning rural counties of
Modoc and
Siskiyou along with the
Redding and
Yuba–Sutter metropolitan areas, while adding the Democratic-leaning city of
Santa Rosa. In the
2024 presidential election, the newly redrawn 1st district would have voted for
Kamala Harris by a margin of 54.5–42.3.
Doug LaMalfa intended to seek reelection to the 1st district despite the new map. The congressional map drawn by Proposition 50 is set to become official following the state's primary on June 2. As the primary for the special election will also be held on June 2, the general special election will take place under the current map drawn by the CCRC.
Republican control of the House LaMalfa died one day after the resignation of Republican
Marjorie Taylor Greene, bringing the total
Republicans in the
House of Representatives to a bare majority of 218 to 213
Democrats with 4 vacancies. News agencies, including
The Wall Street Journal and
Politico, noted that this narrow margin puts additional strain on the Republican majority and
Speaker Mike Johnson, as the Republicans can only lose two votes, placing increased prominence on the special election. ==Nonpartisan blanket primary==