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Mia Love, the first Black woman elected to Congress as a Republican, has passed away at the age of 49 following a battle with an aggressive form of brain cancer. Her family announced her passing on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday night.
“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 today,” her family wrote in a statement. “She was in her home surrounded by family. 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. We are thankful for the many good wishes, prayers and condolences.”
Tributes Pour In
Love represented Utah’s 4th Congressional District from 2015 to 2019, leaving behind a legacy of leadership and resilience.
Utah Governor Spencer Cox paid tribute to Love, calling her “a true trailblazer and visionary leader.”
“Abby and I are heartbroken by the passing of our dear friend Mia Love,” Cox wrote in a post. “A true trailblazer and visionary leader, Mia inspired countless Utahns through her courage, grace, and unwavering belief in the American dream. Her legacy leaves a lasting, positive impact on our state. We will miss her deeply.”
Mia Love: Battle with Glioblastoma
Love publicly shared her diagnosis with glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer, in May 2022. The disease carries a grim prognosis, with most patients surviving only 18 to 24 months, and a five-year survival rate of just 10%, according to MD Anderson Cancer Center.
As part of her treatment, Love participated in a clinical trial at The Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke University, receiving immunotherapy every three weeks since August 2023. Despite being given an initial prognosis of 10 to 15 months, she outlived those expectations, leaning on both science and faith for strength.
“I was looking for a cure in my faith and in science,” she said during the interview. “Funny thing is, my patriarchal blessing said you will have a long and prosperous life, a rich and rewarding life, so long as you decide to remain in public service.”
Mia Love: A Career of Firsts
Love began her political career in 2003, winning a seat on the city council in Saratoga Springs, Utah, a rapidly growing community about 30 miles south of Salt Lake City. She later became the city’s mayor.
In 2012, she narrowly lost her first bid for Congress to Democratic incumbent Jim Matheson. However, she ran again in 2014 and won, defeating first-time candidate Doug Owens by approximately 7,500 votes. With her victory, she made history as the first Black Republican woman elected to Congress.
Though she did not highlight her racial identity in her campaigns, she acknowledged the significance of her win after her 2014 election, pushing back against skeptics who doubted whether a Black, Republican, Mormon woman could secure a congressional seat in predominantly white Utah.
Political Challenges and Trump’s Criticism
During her time in Congress, Love was seen as a rising star in the GOP. However, she distanced herself from then-candidate Donald Trump in 2016, particularly after the release of a 2005 recording in which he made lewd comments about groping women. Love refused to support Trump’s candidacy and endorsed Texas Sen. Ted Cruz instead, though he later dropped out of the race.
During her 2018 re-election bid, she sought to balance her party loyalty with opposition to Trump’s policies on trade and immigration. Despite Republicans outnumbering Democrats nearly three to one in her district, she lost by fewer than 700 votes to Democratic challenger Ben McAdams, the former mayor of Salt Lake City.
Following her defeat, Trump singled out Love during a press conference, criticizing Republicans who had not fully embraced him.
“Mia Love gave me no love, and she lost,” he said. “Too bad. Sorry about that, Mia.”
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