Mia Love, the former U.S. Representative from Utah and the first Black Republican woman to serve in Congress, passed away on Sunday at the age of 49. She was the daughter of Haitian immigrants.
The news of Love’s death was shared by her family on her X account.
Recently, she had been undergoing treatment for brain cancer, including immunotherapy as part of a clinical trial at Duke University’s brain tumor center. Earlier this month, her daughter stated that the former lawmaker was no longer responding to the treatment.
According to a family statement, Love passed away at her home in Saratoga Springs, Utah.
“With our hearts full of gratitude for Mia’s immense impact on our lives, we want to inform you that she left us peacefully,” her family expressed. “We appreciate all the kind wishes, prayers, and condolences.”
Her former colleagues in the House and fellow Utah politicians honored her memory on Sunday and Monday.
Utah Governor Spencer Cox referred to Love as a “true friend.”
“Her legacy of service inspired everyone who knew her,” Cox mentioned in a statement. “We offer our prayers for her family and share in their mourning.”
“I have a heavy heart at the loss of my friend and colleague, Mia Love,” posted former Utah Senator Mitt Romney on social media. “Her energy, enthusiasm, and wit distinguished her as a remarkable member of Congress. Her faith and resilience served as a model for me and so many others. We will miss you dearly, Mia.”
Rep. Burgess Owens, currently representing Love’s district, shared on social media that he was “heartbroken” over her passing.
“As we mourn her loss today, we celebrate her relentless dedication to public service, her historic contributions, and the innumerable lives she impacted through her work,” Owens wrote.
Love commenced her political journey in 2003 when she secured a seat on the Saratoga Springs city council, a rapidly growing community about 30 miles south of Salt Lake City. She subsequently served as the city’s mayor.
In 2012, Love narrowly lost a race for the House against the Democratic incumbent, former Rep. Jim Matheson, in a district encompassing several suburbs of Salt Lake City.
She mounted another campaign two years later and won against first-time candidate Doug Owens by a margin of approximately 7,500 votes.
While campaigning, Love did not highlight her racial background, but she recognized the significance of her election following her 2014 victory, stating that her success disproved critics who believed that a Black, Republican, Mormon woman could not win a congressional seat in predominantly White Utah.
She was once viewed as a rising star in the GOP and distanced herself from President Trump, who was not favored by many Utah voters, during his presidential campaign prior to the 2016 election.
In 2016, in the face of reelection and following the surfacing of a 2005 recording of Trump making inappropriate comments, Love chose to skip the Republican National Convention and publicly declared her intention not to vote for him. Instead, she endorsed Texas Senator Ted Cruz in the GOP primary, although he withdrew from the race months later.
While vying for a third term in 2018, Love attempted to distance herself from Trump on issues such as trade and immigration while still supporting her party’s stance on tax cuts. Despite a Republican voter advantage of nearly three-to-one in her district, she lost by fewer than 700 votes to former Salt Lake City Mayor Ben McAdams, a Democrat.
After her defeat, Trump notably criticized Love by name during a news conference the following day, as he condemned other Republicans who did not fully align with him.
“Mia Love gave me no love, and she lost,” Trump remarked. “Too bad. Sorry about that, Mia.”
Subsequent to her electoral defeat, Love contributed as a political commentator on UJ and served as a fellow at the University of Sydney.
Following Trump’s election in November, Love stated she felt “OK with the outcome.”
“Yes, Trump does make a number of inconsiderate remarks that are regrettable and indefensible. However, his policies have a strong potential to benefit all Americans,” Love shared in a social media update.
