Mia Love, First Black Republican Congresswoman, Dies At 49.
Mia Love, the first Black Republican woman elected to the United States Congress, has passed away at the age of 49 in Utah. Her family confirmed that she died peacefully on Sunday at her home in Saratoga Springs, surrounded by loved ones.
A daughter of Haitian immigrants, Love made history in 2014 when she was elected to represent Utah in the US House of Representatives. She served two terms before narrowly losing her re-election bid in 2018.
Her daughter, Abigale, had revealed earlier this month that Love’s condition had worsened, and she was no longer responding to treatment for brain cancer. Love was diagnosed in 2022 with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer, and was initially given a prognosis of 10 to 15 months to live—a milestone she far exceeded.
“In the midst of a celebration of her life and an avalanche of happy memories, Mia quietly slipped the bands of mortality and, as her words and vision always did, soared heavenward,” her family wrote in a statement posted on X.
Utah Governor Spencer Cox paid tribute, calling Love a “true trailblazer and visionary leader” who inspired many with her “courage, grace, and unwavering belief in the American dream.”
Love’s political career began in 2003 when she won a seat on the Saratoga Springs city council. She later became the city’s mayor at the age of 34 before securing her place in Congress.
A strong conservative voice, Love did not always align with her party’s leadership. She was openly critical of Donald Trump during his 2016 presidential campaign, endorsing Texas Senator Ted Cruz instead. In 2018, she called on Trump to apologise for making disparaging remarks about Haiti. Following her loss in the midterm elections that year, Trump commented: “Mia Love gave me no love, and she lost.”
Before entering politics, Love pursued a degree in musical theatre at the University of Hartford in Connecticut and briefly worked as a flight attendant. She once aspired to an acting career but found her true calling in public service.
Nearly two weeks before her passing, Love published an opinion piece in Deseret News, describing it as “not to say goodbye but to say thank you and express my living wish for you and the America I know.”
She is survived by her husband and three children.
