Straight Talk with Asm. James Gallagher: On Remembering U.S. Rep. Doug LaMalfa, Filling Out His Term

This is a Special Extra Podcast for this week. Normally, we run our weekly Winners & Losers in California Politics in this space. Look for that regular column to run later today, or over the weekend, as we stay nimble, providing our content

🎙️ This Special Episode of the So, Does It Matter? Podcast — Assemblyman James Gallagher

This week, So, Does It Matter? presents a special and deeply personal episode featuring James Gallagher, recorded yesterday, only a week and a half after the unexpected passing of Congressman Doug LaMalfa — a mentor, friend, and towering figure in Northern California’s conservative movement.

I am Jon Fleischman, publisher of So, Does It Matter?, and this conversation takes place at a moment of profound loss and unexpected responsibility. Congressman LaMalfa’s death has left a personal void for those who knew him well, and a political vacuum for the North State he so fiercely represented. In this interview, Assemblyman Gallagher reflects candidly on LaMalfa’s life, legacy, and the deep personal bond they shared — including Gallagher’s first job in politics working for LaMalfa, and the values that shaped both their careers.

The discussion then turns to the extraordinary circumstances now confronting Gallagher. At the request of LaMalfa’s widow, and amid a rapidly moving and unforgiving political process, he has stepped forward to run in a special election to fill the remainder of LaMalfa’s congressional term. Gallagher explains how that decision was made while he was still in mourning, the responsibility he feels to the district's people, and why he believes LaMalfa would have wanted continuity of representation during this critical moment.

Throughout the episode, we also examine the broader political backdrop — including California’s controversial redistricting, the fragmentation of Northern California representation, and what it means to carry forward LaMalfa’s philosophy of always standing “on the side of the people against the government.”

This is not a typical campaign interview. It is a conversation about grief, duty, legacy, and stewardship — and about what it means to pick up the mantle when a leader is taken far too soon.

🎥 Watch the full conversation above — and find the video and podcast players below.

Listen Now
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Listen now · 35:45

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Useful Links…

Assemblyman James Gallagher on X
James Gallagher for Congress Website

Jon Fleischman on the passing of U.S. Rep. LaMalfa:
- Initial take (video and column, Trump remarks)
- Longer form column at the California Globe
Jon Fleischman on X.

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