Democrat Mike McGuire, the 52nd President pro tempore of the California State Senate, who represents the 2nd Senate district and is running for the U.S. House of Representatives in the newly redrawn 1st Congressional District, reacted this week to President Donald Trump‘s endorsement of his GOP opponent, California State Assemblyman James Gallagher.
McGuire wrote of Trump: “I guess he can’t get enough of losing to California. We beat him with Prop 50. We beat him in Court. And in November, we’re going to beat MAGA Minion James Gallagher.”
Note: After the Supreme Court on Wednesday paved the way for California to advance its new congressional map, McGuire wrote: “We beat Trump at the ballot box. We beat Trump in court (quite a few times…) And this November, we’re going to stick it to Trump again, flip CA-01, and flip the House.”
Donald Trump just endorsed our opponent.
I guess he can’t get enough of losing to California.
We beat him with Prop 50.
We beat him in Court.
And in November, we’re going to beat MAGA Minion James Gallagher. pic.twitter.com/qtg4pOVX1l
— Mike McGuire (@ilike_mike) February 5, 2026
The seat in the district McGuire and Gallagher are vying for is currently vacant following the death of MAGA-aligned Republican Doug LaMalfa, who had represented California’s 1st district since January 2013. (LaMalfa, 65, died on January 6, 2026 from a heart attack.) The special election will be held on August 4, 2026.
Gallagher accepted Trump’s endorsement and wrote on social media: “I am deeply honored to have President @realDonaldTrump’s support and full endorsement. @RepLaMalfa was one of the President’s strongest supporters in Congress and having the President’s backing in the race clearly shows my commitment to conservative values.”
Note: When McGuire ran in the 2022 California State Senate 2nd district election he received 73.3 percent of the votes. When Gallagher ran in the 2024 California State Assembly 3rd district election he won 68.4 percent of the votes. LaMalfa won his re-election bid in 2024 with 65.3 of the votes.
Note: Before challenging Gallagher in the June election, McGuire will first face Northern California educator Audrey Denney in the primary election on June 2. Denney is running a grassroots campaign and has vowed not to take any money from corporate PACs. She ran against and lost twice to LaMalfa: in 2018 and 2020.