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James Gallagher (California politician)

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James Gallagher
Official portrait, 2026
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from California's 1st district
Incumbent
Assumed office
June 10, 2026
Preceded byDoug LaMalfa
Minority Leader of the California Assembly
In office
February 8, 2022 – September 16, 2025
Preceded byMarie Waldron
Succeeded byHeath Flora
Member of the California State Assembly
from the 3rd district
In office
December 1, 2014 – June 9, 2026
Preceded byDan Logue
Succeeded byVacant
Member of the
Sutter County Board of Supervisors
from the 5th district
In office
January 13, 2009 – December 1, 2014
Preceded byDan Silva
Succeeded byBarbara LeVake
Personal details
BornJames Matthew Gallagher
(1981-03-04) March 4, 1981 (age 45)
Yuba City, California, U.S.
PartyRepublican
SpouseJanna
Children5
EducationUniversity of California, Berkeley (BA)
University of California, Davis (JD)
WebsiteHouse website

James Matthew Gallagher (born March 7, 1981) is an American politician who has served as the U.S. representative from California's 1st congressional district since 2026. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served in the California State Assembly from 2014 to 2026, representing the 3rd district located in the northern Sacramento Valley. Gallagher served as the Minority Leader of the California State Assembly from 2022 to 2025.[1][2]

Early life and education

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Gallagher was born on March 7, 1981.[3] He is the descendant of Irish immigrants who settled northern California in the early 1800s. His paternal grandfather, Robert Gallagher, served on the Sutter County Board of Supervisors from 1985 to 1989.[4]

After graduating from East Nicolaus High School, Gallagher earned a bachelor's degree in political science from UC Berkeley.[5] Gallagher earned a JD degree from UC Davis.[6]

Career

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Gallagher while serving in California State Assembly, 2024

Gallagher's political career began when he worked for state Assemblyman Doug LaMalfa as a fellow in a Fellowship Program.[5]

Since 2007, Gallagher has been practicing law.[5][7] He is a partner in his family's fifth generation rice and walnut farming operation.[8] In 2008, Gallagher was elected to the Sutter County Board of Supervisors, where he served until his election to the State Assembly.

On November 4, 2014, Gallagher won the election and succeeded fellow Republican Dan Logue, who ran unsuccessfully for Congress that year. Gallagher is a Republican.[6][9] In 2017, Gallagher became the Republican Caucus Chairman of the California General Assembly.[6]

In 2026, Gallagher ran for the open seat for California's 1st congressional district in the United States House of Representatives made vacant after the death of Doug LaMalfa.[10] He received the endorsement of President Donald Trump and 8 other Republican congressmen from the state.[11] He defeated Democratic challengers Audrey Denney and Mike McGuire in the special election by a large margin.[12][13] The special election also coincided with the primary election for the new district boundaries, in which Gallagher and McGuire both advanced, setting up a rematch in the November general election.[14] He was sworn into the U.S. House of Representatives on June 10, 2026.[15]

Personal life

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Gallagher's wife is Janna; they met in kindergarten while attending Browns School in Rio Oso, California. They have five children.[6]

Electoral history

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2014 California State Assembly 3rd district election[16][17]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican James Gallagher 34,744 44.4
Democratic Jim Reed 26,557 34.0
Republican Ryan Schohr 16,906 21.6
Total votes 78,207 100.0
General election
Republican James Gallagher 69,552 63.1
Democratic Jim Reed 40,732 36.9
Total votes 110,284 100.0
Republican hold
2016 California State Assembly 3rd district election[18][19]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican James Gallagher (incumbent) 66,686 61.0
Democratic Edward Ritchie 42,700 39.0
Democratic Bryce Corron (write-in) 12 0.0
Total votes 109,398 100.0
General election
Republican James Gallagher (incumbent) 108,910 63.0
Democratic Edward Ritchie 63,867 37.0
Total votes 172,777 100.0
Republican hold
2018 California State Assembly 3rd district election[20][21]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican James Gallagher (incumbent) 64,975 65.0
Democratic Sonia Aery 34,941 35.0
Total votes 99,916 100.0
General election
Republican James Gallagher (incumbent) 95,786 60.2
Democratic Sonia Aery 63,445 39.8
Total votes 159,231 100.0
Republican hold
2020 California State Assembly 3rd district election[22][23]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican James Gallagher (incumbent) 83,022 65.3
Democratic James R. Henson 44,107 34.7
Total votes 127,129 100.0
General election
Republican James Gallagher (incumbent) 130,163 63.7
Democratic James R. Henson 74,201 36.3
Total votes 204,364 100.0
2022 California State Assembly 3rd district election[24][25]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican James Gallagher (incumbent) 65,115 66.0
Democratic David Leon Zink 33,513 34.0
Democratic Jeanenne H. Hoston (write-in) 41 0.0
Total votes 98,669 100.0
General election
Republican James Gallagher (incumbent) 98,475 65.4
Democratic David Leon Zink 52,198 34.6
Total votes 150,673 100.0
Republican hold
2024 California State Assembly 3rd district election[26][27]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican James Gallagher (incumbent) 76,570 68.4
Democratic Aaron Draper 35,434 31.6
Total votes 112,004 100.0
General election
Republican James Gallagher (incumbent) 131,578 66.3
Democratic Aaron Draper 66,962 33.7
Total votes 198,540 100.0
Republican hold
2026 California's 1st congressional district special election[28]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican James Gallagher 123,551 62.10
Democratic Audrey Denney 36,841 18.52
Democratic Mike McGuire 34,319 17.25
Republican Jot Thiara 2,423 1.22
No party preference Richard Montgomery 1,808 0.91
Total votes 198,942 100.00
Republican hold

See also

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References

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  1. ↑ Diego, Debbie L. Sklar • Times of San (July 9, 2025). "Assembly Republicans elect Heath Flora new leader in unanimous vote". Times of San Diego. Retrieved September 16, 2025.
  2. ↑ Wolffe, Kate (July 9, 2025). "Central Valley lawmaker will be next leader of Republicans in CA Assembly". The Sacramento Bee. Retrieved September 16, 2025.
  3. ↑ "Rep. James Gallagher". LegiStorm.
  4. ↑ "Bio". February 19, 2012. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
  5. 1 2 3 "James Gallagher". ricelawyers.net. Archived from the original on January 25, 2019. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "James Gallagher". votesmart.org. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
  7. ↑ "James Gallagher". Sac Valley Law. sacvalleylaw.com. Archived from the original on January 25, 2019. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
  8. ↑ "Sutter supervisor enters 3rd Assembly race". www.redding.com. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  9. ↑ "James Gallagher". ballotpedia.org. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
  10. ↑ Mejia, Alejandro Mejia (January 14, 2026). "Assemblyman James Gallagher announces bid for District 1 seat". Action News Now. Retrieved January 14, 2026.
  11. ↑ Nir, David; Singer, Jeff (February 6, 2026). "Morning Digest: Republicans have their first shot at a special election flip on Saturday". Retrieved February 6, 2026.
  12. ↑ Kamisar, Ben (June 2, 2026). "Republican James Gallagher wins special election for vacant red House district in California". NBC News. Retrieved June 2, 2026.
  13. ↑ Kamisar, Ben (June 2, 2026). "Republican James Gallagher wins special election for vacant red House district in California". NBC News. Retrieved June 2, 2026.
  14. ↑ Murphy, Austin (June 2, 2026). "Gallagher leads in two 1st District races for Congress, with McGuire staking claim to runoff". The Press Democrat. Retrieved June 2, 2026.
  15. ↑ Eskow, Nick (June 10, 2026). "James Gallagher sworn in to finish LaMalfa's term in the House". Roll Call. Retrieved July 15, 2026.
  16. ↑ "June 3, 2014, Statewide Direct Primary Election - State Assemblymember" (PDF). Secretary of State of California. Retrieved September 17, 2025.
  17. ↑ "November 4, 2014, General Election - Member of the State Assembly" (PDF). Secretary of State of California. Retrieved September 17, 2025.
  18. ↑ "June 7, 2016, Presidential Primary Election - State Assemblymember" (PDF). Secretary of State of California. Retrieved September 17, 2025.
  19. ↑ "November 8, 2016, General Election - State Assemblymember" (PDF). Secretary of State of California. Retrieved September 17, 2025.
  20. ↑ "June 5, 2018, Statewide Direct Primary Election - State Assemblymember" (PDF). Secretary of State of California. Retrieved September 17, 2025.
  21. ↑ "November 6, 2018, General Election - State Assemblymember" (PDF). Secretary of State of California. Retrieved September 17, 2025.
  22. ↑ "March 3, 2020, Presidential Primary Election - State Assemblymember" (PDF). Secretary of State of California. Retrieved September 17, 2025.
  23. ↑ "November 3, 2020, General Election - State Assemblymember" (PDF). Secretary of State of California. Retrieved September 17, 2025.
  24. ↑ "June 7, 2022, Primary Election - State Assemblymember" (PDF). Secretary of State of California. Retrieved September 17, 2025.
  25. ↑ "November 8, 2022, General Election - State Assemblymember" (PDF). Secretary of State of California. Retrieved September 17, 2025.
  26. ↑ "March 5, 2024, Presidential Primary Election - State Assemblymember" (PDF). Secretary of State of California. Retrieved September 17, 2025.
  27. ↑ "November 5, 2024, General Election - State Assemblymember" (PDF). Secretary of State of California. Retrieved September 17, 2025.
  28. ↑ Weber, Shirley (June 11, 2026). "Official Canvass United States Representative 1st District* Special Primary Election, June 2, 2026" (PDF). Secretary of State of California. Retrieved June 12, 2026.
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