GOP Congressman Dies Unexpectedly

California's House delegation has lost a long-serving Republican voice with the unexpected death of Rep. Doug LaMalfa at 65. LaMalfa, a fourth-generation rice farmer, represented the largely rural 1st Congressional District in northern California and was seen as an expert on water and forestry issues, reports Politico. He had been in Congress since 2013 and served as a state lawmaker before that, per the Hill.

"Doug was a principled conservative and a tireless advocate for the people of Northern California," said Rep. Richard Hudson, chair of the National Republican Committee, in a statement on Tuesday. "He was never afraid to fight for rural communities, farmers, and working families." LaMalfa sat on the Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Transportation and Infrastructure committees. No cause of death was announced.

From a political standpoint, LaMalfa's death further erodes Republicans' already slim advantage in the House, notes CBS News. Coupled with the recent resignation of Marjorie Taylor Greene, the partisan split now stands at 218 Republicans to 213 Democrats, with four seats vacant.