Mortality and margins weigh on House Republicans as they kick off the election year

Tuesday was supposed to be a rah-rah day for House Republicans — a chance to strategize with President Donald Trump about their agenda for the tough election year ahead.

Instead, 2026 got off to an unexpectedly somber start as they confronted the sudden death of a well-liked colleague and pondered the dire political and policy straits their dwindling majority has to navigate.

Most members learned about California Rep. Doug LaMalfa’s overnight passing as they boarded buses outside...