U.S. Congressman Doug LaMalfa struggled to speak over a raucous crowd at Chico’s Elks Lodge on Monday. The meeting came amid Gov. Gavin Newsom’s push to potentially redraw California’s congressional districts — changes that could affect LaMalfa’s seat.
It was LaMalfa’s first in-person town hall in Chico since 2017. More than 500 people packed the banquet hall, often yelling over the congressman’s remarks. Attendees waved red or green construction paper to signal disapproval or support and at times broke into chants.
Questions during the 90-minute meeting ranged from wildfire recovery and veterans’ healthcare to LaMalfa’s support for Israel amid the crisis in Gaza.
Healthcare concerns dominate conversation
Healthcare drew some of the strongest pushback. Critics cited LaMalfa’s support for President Donald Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” saying it would cut Medicaid funding and threaten rural hospitals.
LaMalfa disagreed, pointing to a multi-billion-dollar rural hospital fund in the bill. He denied cuts to care and said “the focus has been on illegal immigrants on that program.” He said the bill attempts to serve “people that should be eligible."
For Michael Brennock, the issue is personal. He’s worried rural residents will be worse off if hospitals close. After a bicycle accident this year left him using a wheelchair, he said he was lucky to have hospital staff close by to help him recover.
“If my injury had been more severe, if it had taken longer for me to get to emergency services, I might have had a very different outcome,” he told NSPR. “Or, I might be dead.”
He said he wasn’t encouraged by LaMalfa’s refusal to acknowledge those concerns, “or acknowledge the realities and also the fears that people have,” he said.
Brennock said he understood the crowd’s reaction. Still, he hopes constituents can engage with the congressman.
“If all of us working together can help him have a change of heart and give him the support he needs to maybe stand up to Trump and stand up for all of us in District 1, then we should offer that support,” Brennock said.
Cheryl Hawkins, who sat in the front row, also worried about healthcare in the North State.
“We already have a really difficult healthcare situation,” she said. “Especially after the Camp Fire and the hospital up in Paradise closing, it's just really sad to think there's going to be more of an impact on medical care.”
Redistricting fight heats up
The town hall also touched on Newsom’s proposal to redraw congressional districts in response to a similar move in Texas. Republicans say the plan would give Democrats more seats in Congress, something Republicans — like Kevin Kiley, who represents Plumas County and parts of Yuba county — are attempting to ban federally.
Resident Sue Hilderbrand brought the issue directly to LaMalfa during public comment.
“I really hope that you oppose all mid-decade redistricting and not just ours here in California because your seat is on the line,” she said.
LaMalfa said he strongly supported putting the decisions in the hands of independent commissioners.
“Texas shouldn't be doing that. From the information I have, if it’s purely for politics, no way. California shouldn’t be doing this,” LaMalfa said. “This is going to start a grass fire all across the country,” he said, “every single state trying to change it based on a political outcome.”
LaMalfa has represented California’s District 1 since 2013 but could be one of the representatives whose district could change. He called the attempt “ugly.”
“No matter which side of the aisle you're on, it doesn't look good,” he said. “It doesn't give you more faith in the political process if legislators are going to draw the lines merely to have an outcome for a partisan win.”
Eight years since last Chico town hall
Local demonstrators have been calling for an in-person meeting for months, protesting weekly outside LaMalfa’s Chico office.
Some residents addressed this in comments to LaMalfa. Chico City Council Member Katie Hawley was one of them.
“I can tell you if Chico City Council was a public event only once every eight years, I think we would have a room exactly like this,” Hawley said. “The more frequently you show up and show out and listen to your constituents, I believe the more civil these discussions will be.”
Another town hall in Red Bluff also took place that evening.
