Rep. Doug LaMalfa’s death last month was attributed to complications of a tear in the body’s main artery, authorities said Thursday, citing the results of an autopsy.
The Chico Republican’s death tied to the serious condition, known as aortic dissection, was ruled natural, according to the Butte County Sheriff’s Office. An enlarged heart was listed as another significant condition.
The seven-term congressman died Jan. 6, after paramedics responded to a 911 call at his house and took him to a hospital, where he died during surgery. He was 65.
LaMalfa, a staunch fiscal and social conservative, was heavily involved in the recent campaign against Proposition 50, Democrats’ gerrymander of the state’s congressional district map. LaMalfa, who served in the California Legislature before his time in Congress, warned the redistricting effort would sideline voices on water and forestry management issues in his agricultural and fire-prone district. Prop 50 splits LaMalfa’s district into three, lumping the mostly conservative voters in with more liberal cities and coastal communities.
“Congressman LaMalfa cared deeply for the people he served and worked tirelessly to hold the government to its word, to fix our forest mismanagement, build water storage, and leave people to be free to choose what is best for themselves,” his office said in a statement the day he died.
His death posed an immediate peril to Republicans’ razor-thin control of the House of Representatives and threw the future of his district up in the air.
Gov. Gavin Newsom called for a special election, set for Aug. 4, to fill LaMalfa’s seat.
Both President Donald Trump, a fellow Republican, and Newsom, a Democrat, flew flags at half-staff to honor LaMalfa.
Trump has endorsed Republican Assembly Member James Gallagher, who is running to replace LaMalfa.
This article originally published at Cause of Northern California Rep. Doug LaMalfa’s sudden death revealed.