(The Center Square) – Assemblymember James Gallagher, R-East Nicolaus, gave his final remarks on the Assembly floor Monday afternoon before he leaves the California Legislature to begin his term as a congressman.
Gallagher won the June 2 special election to succeed the late U.S. Rep. Doug LaMalfa, a Republican who died suddenly in January. Gallagher, a Northern California native, will now represent California’s 1st District in the U.S. House of Representatives and will be sworn into office later this week to serve the rest of LaMalfa's term, which will end Jan. 3. Gallagher also advanced in the June 2 primary for the new term starting Jan. 3 against California Sen. Mike McGuire with 47.2% of the vote against McGuire’s 37.5%. So far, it appears Gallagher will square off against McGuire in the Nov. 3 election, according to previous reporting by The Center Square.
For now, getting to work in Congress is on Gallagher's mind.
“When I am sworn in this week, it will be the first time ever that I’ve been in the majority,” Gallagher said during remarks on the Assembly floor.
“I think that’s been really good for me, actually," he said about being in the Republican minority in the Legislature. "I think it has really honed my skills and helped me to understand how minority voices are heard.”
Gallagher was first elected to the Assembly in 2014. In 2025, he was the Assembly minority leader. In his time representing the Assembly 3rd District, Gallagher introduced a bill that would limit the governor’s emergency powers and supported awarding more recovery money to California communities affected by wildfires. In 2025, Gallagher also advanced a proposal that would split California into two states, with counties in Northern California seceding from the state to form a new one. That proposal did not advance in the Assembly.
He also opposed congressional redistricting during debates last summer on the Assembly floor.
“It is not lost on me as I stand here today that I was elected overwhelmingly by the people of my district,” Gallagher said. “If things go to plan, my district won’t be able to elect a person of their choice, and that’s a frustrating thing. I think we need to change that.”
Mid-decade congressional redistricting, which California voters passed in November 2025, gave Democrats a chance to pick up five new seats in the U.S. House of Representatives in the midterm elections this November. Gallagher and other Republican lawmakers opposed the redistricting effort, which Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom supported in response to Texas’ own mid-decade redistricting in summer 2025 to add five Republican seats.
Other prominent Republican lawmakers on the Assembly floor spoke out in support of Gallagher during the floor session on Monday afternoon.
“It’s when James became [assembly minority] leader that he became the conscience of the caucus,” Assemblymember Tom Lackey, R-Lancaster, said. “He also decided it was time for us to make our mark instead of just existing.”
Assembly Minority Leader Heath Flora, R-Ripon, who succeeded Gallagher in that role, said on the Assembly floor that the caucus turned around under Gallagher’s leadership.
“It has been an example for all of us and all those coming after you to be a strong, courageous leader that’s also respectful,” Flora said.
Gallagher will be sworn in later this week in Washington, D.C. and will have a ceremonial oath of office ceremony on June 16 in Oroville, according to his Facebook page.
