1st Black Republican Woman Elected To Congress Mia Love Dies Of Cancer At 49

Mia Love, the first Black Republican woman elected to Congress, died Sunday at her home in Utah at the age of 49. Love’s family announced her death Sunday night on social media, saying she was “in her home surrounded by family” when she died. “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, shared on both X and Facebook. While the statement did not cite a cause of death, Love’s daughter had previously said on social media that she had been diagnosed with a glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. Love made history in 2014 when she was elected as the first Black Republican woman to serve in Congress. For four years, she represented Utah’s 4th Congressional District. The Republican party viewed Love as a trailblazer who could inspire more conservative women of color to seek elected office. However, Love did not endorse Donald Trump for president in 2016 and became a frequent critic of his policies during his first term, according to multiple outlets, including the New York Times and Washington Post. She also did not seek his endorsement during her re-election campaign in 2018, which she lost in a narrow race to Democratic challenger Ben McAdams, the outlets reported. Love’s daughter said earlier this month on X that Love had been suffering from a brain tumor that was progressing and had had stopped responding to treatment.

Source: USA Today