Mike McGuire Enters Special Election for California’s 1st District

State Senator Mike McGuire has entered the special election race to fill the U.S. House seat left open by the death of Representative Doug LaMalfa, marking a key development in California’s 1st Congressional District.

Doug LaMalfa, who represented California’s 1st District as a Republican in the U.S. House, died on January 6, 2026, resulting in a vacancy that prompted the need for a special election. Governor Gavin Newsom issued a proclamation setting the election for August 4, 2026, which is the latest date allowed under state law.

Mike McGuire, a Democrat and former President pro tempore of the California State Senate, announced his candidacy for the seat. His campaign follows the recent redrawing of district boundaries after the passage of Proposition 50, which added more Democratic-leaning areas to the district for future general elections.

The special election will be conducted using the district lines that existed before Proposition 50, according to state law. The general election for the next full term will use the updated boundaries established by the proposition.

What the numbers show

• The special election is set for August 4, 2026
• The primary for the special election will occur on June 2, 2026
• Doug LaMalfa died on January 6, 2026
• Proposition 50 changed the district’s boundaries for future elections

In addition to McGuire, the list of declared Democratic candidates for the special election includes Audrey Denney, Kyle Wilson, and Rose Yee. These candidates will compete in the primary, which coincides with the statewide primary election in June 2026.

The special election will determine who serves the remainder of LaMalfa’s current term. The new representative will serve under the existing district boundaries until the next general election, when the new lines from Proposition 50 take effect.

Proposition 50, recently passed by voters, shifted the 1st Congressional District to include more areas that tend to support Democratic candidates. However, the special election will not use these new boundaries, as required by California election law.

Governor Newsom’s proclamation set the special election date in accordance with state legal requirements. The process ensures that the seat will be filled for the remainder of the term before the general election under the revised district map.

* This article is based on publicly available information at the time of writing.