Mia Love, the groundbreaking former U.S. Representative from Utah, has sadly passed away. She was only 49 years old.
Love’s death was confirmed by her family on Sunday, March 23. Love, who made history as the first Black Republican woman elected to Congress, was known for her commitment to public service, conservative values, and advocacy for limited government.
What Happened To Mia Love?
Mia Love died after a putting up a really tough and courageous battle with brain cancer, her family confirmed. Our findings show that Love had been receiving treatment at Duke University’s Brain Tumor Center, one of America’s leading medical institutions specializing in neurological oncology.
However, despite undergoing advanced treatments, including immunotherapy, her condition tragically took a turn for the worse in recent weeks. Earlier this month, her daughter revealed that the treatment had stopped being effective and that Mia Love was no more responding to the immunotherapy.
The development left the entire family devastated as it meant that they had very little time left with her. Shortly after this, Mia Love passed away on 23 March 2025 at age 49.
Brain cancer remains one of the most aggressive and difficult-to-treat diseases, with limited treatment options available. Immunotherapy, a groundbreaking medical approach that uses the body’s immune system to fight cancer cells, has shown promise in treating certain types of tumors. However, not all patients respond positively to the treatment, as was the case with Mia Love.
Love’s family shared the news in a heartfelt statement on social media, expressing their deep gratitude for the impact Love had on their lives:
“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. She was in her home surrounded by family.”
The statement continued:
“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. 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.”
The Life and Legacy of Mia Love
Born Ludmya Bourdeau to Haitian immigrant parents, Mia Love is famed for dedicating her life to public service and, in the process, breaking barriers and paving the way for greater diversity in American politics.
Love’s political career began in 2003 when she secured a position on the Saratoga Springs City Council in Utah. She eventually went on to become the city’s mayor, gaining recognition for her sterling leadership and governance.
She later decided to become a congresswoman. Her first attempt at a congressional seat in 2012 resulted in a narrow loss to Democratic incumbent Jim Matheson, but she made a successful comeback in 2014, defeating Doug Owens to become the first Black Republican woman in Congress, and making history.
Although she did not center her campaign on race, Mia Love acknowledged the historic nature of her victory, challenging skeptics who doubted whether a Black, Republican, Mormon woman could win in predominantly white Utah.
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Mia Love Was A Conservative Voice with Independent Stance
Throughout her time in Congress, Mia Love was regarded as a rising star within the Republican Party. However, she also made sure she maintained her independence, particularly in her stance on US President, Donald Trump.
During the 2016 presidential election, Love famously distanced herself from Trump, declining to attend the Republican National Convention after the release of a controversial 2005 recording of Trump making inappropriate remarks about women. She publicly stated that she would not vote for him and initially supported Senator Ted Cruz before his withdrawal from the race.
Her independent streak continued into her 2018 re-election campaign, where she sought to differentiate herself from Trump on trade and immigration policies while supporting Republican initiatives like tax cuts. Despite Republicans significantly outnumbering Democrats in her district, she narrowly lost to Democratic challenger Ben McAdams by fewer than 700 votes.
Reacting to this, Donald Trump later referenced her loss in a post-election press conference, remarking:
“Mia Love gave me no love, and she lost. Too bad. Sorry about that, Mia.”
Mia Love’s Post-Congressional Career and Advocacy
Following her departure from Congress, Mia Love transitioned into media and academia. She became a CNN political commentator, offering insights into conservative politics, race relations, and governance. She also held a fellowship at the University of Sydney, further expanding her influence beyond U.S. borders.
Her legacy remains one of resilience, trailblazing leadership, and unwavering dedication to public service.
So far, tributes have continued to pour in from colleagues, political figures, and supporters. Her pioneering role in American politics, commitment to conservative values, and ability to break barriers will be remembered for generations to come.
The Love family has stated that details regarding a public celebration of her life and funeral arrangements will be shared in the coming days.
