Mia Love obit

Former GOP Rep. Mia Love dead at 49 after battle with cancer, family says

Rep. Mia Love, R-Utah, became the first black Republican woman in Congress in 2014

 

She was not on the list.

Former U.S. Rep. Mia Love, R-Utah, died on Sunday at the age of 49, according to her family.

Love, who was the daughter of Haitian immigrants and the first black Republican woman elected to Congress, "passed away peacefully" surrounded by family.

"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," Love's family said in a statement posted to X. "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," the family continued. "We are thankful for the many good wishes, prayers and condolences. We are taking some time as a family and will provide information about funeral services and a public celebration of her life in the days to come."

Love had been undergoing treatment for brain cancer, but her daughter said earlier this month that the former congresswoman's cancer was no longer responding to it.

Love was born to Haitian parents in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. She was elected mayor of Saratoga Springs, Utah, in 2010, having previously served on its City Council. She spoke at the 2012 Republican National Convention. That year, she ran for Congress in Utah's 4th congressional district, losing narrowly to incumbent Democratic Party U.S. Representative Jim Matheson. She ran for Congress again and was elected in 2014, defeating Democratic opponent Doug Owens; she defeated Owens a second time to win re-election in 2016. After losing re-election in 2018 in an upset to Democrat Ben McAdams by 694 votes, Love was hired by CNN as a political commentator in 2019.

Love was born Ludmya Bourdeau on December 6, 1975 in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. She was the daughter of Mary and Jean Maxime Bourdeau. At a time of political repression, her parents emigrated together from Haiti in 1973, leaving their two older children behind with family. Her father had been threatened by the Tonton Macoute, the secret police in Haiti, and her parents traveled to the United States on a tourist visa. They spoke no English when they arrived. Her father became a paint-company manager and her mother worked as a nurse.

Love's birth enabled her parents to gain a U.S. residency permit under an immigration law that favored immigrants from the Western Hemisphere who had a child born in the United States; the law expired in January 1976, just 25 days after Love's birth. They later became naturalized citizens.

In 2012, Love ran for Congress in Utah's 4th congressional district. The district was created after the 2010 Census. She competed for the Republican nomination against attorney Jay Cobb and State Reps. Stephen Sandstrom of Orem and Carl Wimmer of Herriman; she won the nomination on April 21, 2012, with over 70 percent of the vote. On December 15, 2011, six-term Democratic 2nd district incumbent Jim Matheson announced that he would seek the 4th congressional district seat as well.

Nationally, Love received campaign support from 2012 Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney and his wife Ann Romney, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, House Budget Committee Chairman and 2012 Republican vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan, and Speaker of the House John Boehner.

In 2012, National Journal named Love one of ten Republicans to follow on Twitter. When speaking to the 2012 Republican National Convention on August 28, 2012, she discussed lessons learned from her parents, immigrants from Haiti who fled political repression. She said, "Mr. President, I am here to tell you we are not buying what you are selling in 2012." CNN described Love as a "rising star"