Republican state Rep. James Gallagher, the former state Assembly minority leader, will join Congress as its newest member after winning California’s 1st District special election, Jattvibe News projects. Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.Gallagher will fill the seat left vacant by the death of Republican Rep. Doug LaMalfa, who passed away earlier this year at the age of 65, after securing a majority of votes cast in Tuesday’s special election, avoiding a runoff.After being sworn in, Gallagher will serve in Congress until the end of LaMalfa’s term this year, giving Republicans another vote to pad their slim majority. His election will give Republicans 218 votes in the House to Democrats’ 212, with four vacancies and one independent who caucuses with Republicans. But the new congressman-elect may not be in Congress for long, thanks to how California Democrats carved up the district as part of their redistricting push. This special election was run under the lines that were in effect during the 2024 election, when LaMalfa won the district by 30 points and President Donald Trump won by 25 points. But Democrats targeted this district as part of their plan to win up to five more seats in California, redrawing the lines to turn the district into one that then-Vice President Kamala Harris won by more than 12 points in 2024.In the regularly scheduled primary for that seat, Gallagher advanced to the general election alongside Mike McGuire, the former state Senate Democratic leader.