Trump's majority in the House of Representatives, thinned after the death of a Republican congressman. Another is in serious condition
As a result of the death of Republican congressman Doug LaMalfa, aged 65, the party's majority in the US House of Representatives was weakened, dpa informs on Wednesday.
Republican congressman Doug LaMalfa died PHOTO: X
The death of Doug LaMalfa reduces the number of Republicans in the House to 218, compared to 213 Democrats.
With a very narrow majority, the Republicans can now afford to lose at most two members in the plenary votes without LaMalfa's vote, according to reports in the American media, writes Agerpres.
The Republican leadership in the House of Representatives confirmed LaMalfa's death on social media on Tuesday.
LaMalfa, in his seventh term, has represented a rural Northern California district since 2013. He was recognized for his expertise in agriculture and was the chairman of a bipartisan group in Congress that represented the interests of the western US states.
Under California law, a by-election is required to fill the seat. However, the details of the program or the exact procedure are not yet known. The seat will remain vacant until a successor is elected, leaving the Republican caucus with one less vote.
According to reports in the American media, observers believe that the Republicans have a good chance of winning this mandate in the by-elections in LaMalfa's former constituency, which is strongly Republican.
To this loss is added the hospitalization of another Republican representative from Indiana, Jim Baird, who suffered a serious car accident, writes EFE, which mentions that Trump himself was the one who gave the news on Tuesday, in his speech addressed to the Republican representatives, underlining the concern within the conservative party regarding the balance of power in Congress.
US President Donald Trump also referred to LaMalfa's death in a speech addressed to Republican representatives in Congress on Tuesday, interrupting his remarks about the political situation to pay tribute to the late congressman.
“And by the way, he wasn't the kind of man to call at 3 in the morning,” Trump said, referring to Republican lawmakers who need to be persuaded by the president for crucial votes. “With Doug, I've never had to call him. He's been with us from the beginning,” the Republican said.
Trump had previously spoken, in a more general way, about the uncertainty of legislative majorities and the psychological dynamics of mid-term elections, the so-called midterms.
He suggested that even successful presidencies often lose support during these midterm elections, congressional elections that occur halfway through a US president's four-year term.
The next US midterm elections are scheduled for November 3 this year.
