James Gallagher

James Gallagher is a Republican politician who serves as the U.S. Representative for California's 1st Congressional District, having assumed office in June 2026. He won a special election to fill the seat left vacant by the death of Representative Doug LaMalfa. Gallagher previously served in the California State Assembly from 2014 to 2026, where he represented the 3rd District. During his tenure in the state legislature, he rose to leadership as the Assembly Minority Leader, a position he held from 2022 to 2025. His career in public service began on the Sutter County Board of Supervisors, where he served from 2009 until his election to the Assembly. A native of Yuba City, Gallagher is an attorney and a partner in his family's multi-generational farming operation, which focuses on rice and walnut production in the Sacramento Valley. He earned his bachelor's degree in Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley, and his Juris Doctor from the University of California, Davis, School of Law. His work in the legislature frequently addressed issues critical to rural Northern California, including water storage, wildfire prevention, and disaster recovery efforts following the 2018 Camp Fire. Gallagher also gained prominence for leading legal challenges against executive overreach in state government, specifically regarding emergency powers during the pandemic.

Gallagher maintains a policy platform focused on fiscal discipline, agricultural support, and public safety. He advocates for reducing taxes and cutting regulatory requirements to foster economic growth and lower costs for businesses and families. He is a primary supporter of increasing California's water storage capacity, particularly through the development of the Sites Reservoir, to benefit farmers and local municipalities. In the realm of public safety, he supports efforts to repeal or amend Proposition 47 to allow for harsher penalties for retail theft and drug-related crimes. His environmental strategy emphasizes active forest management, including clearing brush and prescribed burns, to prevent catastrophic wildfires. Additionally, he supports parental involvement in education and has consistently opposed statewide mandates that he believes infringe on local or parental decision-making.