Mia Love, a trailblazing conservative and the first Black Republican woman elected to Congress, has passed away at the age of 49 following a battle with brain cancer, her family announced on Sunday.
Love, the daughter of Haitian immigrants, represented Utah’s 4th Congressional District from 2015 to 2019.
She made history as a prominent voice in Washington, advocating for conservative principles and breaking barriers in the political landscape.
Her family shared the news on her X account, stating that she passed away peacefully at her home in Saratoga Springs.
“With grateful hearts filled to overflowing for the profound influence of Mia on our lives, we want you to know that she passed away peacefully,” the statement read. “We are thankful for the many good wishes, prayers, and condolences.”
Love had been receiving treatment at Duke University’s brain tumor center, but earlier this month, her daughter revealed that she had stopped responding to immunotherapy.
Utah Governor Spencer Cox paid tribute to Love, calling her a “true friend” and praising her “legacy of service” that inspired many.
During her time in Congress, Love championed issues such as limited government, fiscal responsibility, and immigration reform.
Although she lost her re-election bid in 2018, she remained active in political discourse, serving as a commentator and speaker.
ABC News reports that Love began her political career in 2003 when she was elected to the city council in Saratoga Springs, a rapidly growing community about 30 miles south of Salt Lake City.
She later became the city’s mayor.
In 2012, she ran for a seat in the U.S. House but narrowly lost to Democratic incumbent Jim Matheson.
However, she made a successful bid in 2014, defeating first-time candidate Doug Owens by about 7,500 votes.
Although Love did not center her campaigns around her racial identity, she acknowledged the historic significance of her 2014 victory.
She noted that her win challenged skeptics who doubted that a Black, Republican, Mormon woman could secure a congressional seat in predominantly white Utah.
At one point, Love was considered a rising star within the GOP.
However, she distanced herself from Donald Trump, who was unpopular among many Utah voters during his 2016 presidential run.
That year, when a 2005 recording surfaced of Trump making lewd comments about women, Love skipped the Republican National Convention and announced she would not vote for him.
Instead, she endorsed Texas Senator Ted Cruz, who later dropped out of the race.
During her 2018 reelection campaign, Love sought to distance herself from Trump on trade and immigration while supporting Republican tax policies.
Despite Republicans significantly outnumbering Democrats in her district, she lost by fewer than 700 votes to Democrat Ben McAdams, the former mayor of Salt Lake City.
The morning after her defeat, Trump publicly criticized Love and other Republicans who had not fully embraced him.
“Mia Love gave me no love, and she lost,” he said. “Too bad. Sorry about that, Mia.”
Following her loss, Love transitioned to political commentary, working as an analyst for CNN and serving as a fellow at the University of Sydney.
After Trump’s election, Love expressed acceptance of the outcome.
“Yes, Trump says a lot of inconsiderate things that are unfortunate and impossible to defend. However, his policies have a high probability of benefiting all Americans,” she wrote in a social media post.
