Doug LaMalfa–the North State GOP Congressional candidate (CA-01) who made national headlines in mid-September when he claimed falsely that abortion causes breast cancer–is back with another good one.

Jenny Espino of the Redding Record-Searchlight has reported that LaMalfa’s campaign manager David Gilliard told her Mitt Romney was “right” to dismiss a vast swath of Americans as unworthy of GOP attention because they rely on government benefits.  He admitted that Romney may have painted with “too broad a brush.” How much too broad? Half, he said: half of the 47% haven’t “chosen” to receive benefits, but receive them “because of their circumstances.”  He went on, “Those are the people Republicans should be talking to for sure.”

In other words, LaMalfa’s campaign thinks 23% of the 1st District isn’t worth listening to, and is freeloading off the government just because they feel like it. (Disclosure: I work for the campaign of LaMalfa’s Democratic opponent, Jim Reed.)

Interstingly, LaMalfa is the recipient of nearly $5 million in federal farm subsidies. He’s evaded the $100-some thousand annual cap by splitting the farm into multiple holdings–held entirely by various members of his family.

Was that a choice? Or did circumstances force his hand?

The Record-Searchlight story is here (scroll down to the third item).