Mia Love, a former U.S. Representative from Utah and the first Black Republican woman elected to Congress, died at 49 from brain cancer. Known for her historic, trailblazing career, her impact has been widely recognized and honored.
Love, a politician from Saratoga Springs, Utah, died at home on Mar. 23, 2025. She served on the city council and as mayor before representing Utah’s 4th Congressional District. Love was the first Black person elected to Congress from Utah and the first Haitian-American to serve in Congress.
Love’s life and legacy were honored on Apr. 6 and 7 in Salt Lake City.
On Sunday, Apr. 6, she lay in state at the Utah State Capitol, where friends and family from across the country gathered to pay their respects.
“Her influence touched countless lives, and her spirit will continue to inspire us all to carry on the work she started,” Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson said on X.
Utah Governor Spencer J. Cox ordered for flags to be lowered at sunrise on Monday, Apr. 7, as part of Love’s memorial. Love's public service was held at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Institute of Religion on the University of Utah campus with speakers including her sister, husband, Lt. Gov. Henderson and Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
“She did everything with her whole heart. She genuinely loved people. Mia was a powerful force for good,” Lt. Gov. Henderson said at the funeral.
Love was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1975. After earning a degree in musical theatre from the University of Hartford, she worked in the corporate sector and later became a flight attendant. She moved to Utah in 1998.
In 2003, Love was elected to the city council in Saratoga Springs — becoming the first Haitian-American woman elected in Utah County — and served for six years. Love became mayor of Saratoga Springs in 2010.
Her rising profile led to national appearances, including a speech at the 2012 Republican National Convention and as opening speaker at the 2013 Western Conservative Summit.
Love ran for Congress in 2012 but lost. She won in 2014 and served as the U.S. Representative for Utah’s 4th District from 2015 to 2019.
Love made history as the first Black Republican woman elected to Congress and the first Black person elected from Utah. Known for her independence, Love often stood by her own views, rather than following party lines.
After her victory, Love joked to her supporters, acknowledging the great step she made and how she defied the odds as a Black, Republican, Latter-day Saint woman elected to Congress in Utah.
Love joined the Congressional Black Caucus after taking office, in which she was the only female Republican of the group. Love later spoke about the strong relationships formed and the value of working across party lines on divisive issues.
Love stood out because she did not align with her party in every belief. While she did often align with the Republican party, many said that Love leaned more Libertarian, supporting limited governments, low taxes and personal responsibility. She was also described as a “Tea Party Conservative” for her focus on cutting spending and reducing federal power.
Love generally aligned with Republicans on several issues. One of the areas in which she differed most from the Republican Party, however, was immigration.
Love supported immigration reform efforts and believed that the system needed to be more fair and functional. Love co-sponsored the Recognizing America’s Children Act, which aimed to create a path to legal status for DACA recipients. In 2013, she joined Democrats in pushing for a vote on immigration legislation.
Love's parents emigrated from Haiti to the United States in 1973 to escape political violence and spoke no English at the time. Her parents arrived on a U.S. tourist visa, leaving two children behind. When Love was born in 1975, her parents gained residency and later became naturalized citizens.
Love publicly opposed the Trump administration’s family separation policy, a stance that set her apart from many Republicans and showed her willingness to speak out against her own party.
Love often broke with her party when it came to Donald Trump, urging him to drop out of the 2016 race and criticizing her party’s lack of outreach to minority voters.
After losing her 2018 re-election, Love became a political commentator for CNN in 2019. She also took on academic roles, including fellowships at the University of Sydney and Georgetown University.
In the years that followed, Love continued to stay active in public life — serving as an elector in the 2020 presidential election, joining Utah State University’s Center for Growth and Opportunity, and guest-hosting on ‘The View’ in 2021. In 2023, she published a memoir titled “Qualified: Finding Your Voice, Leading with Character, and Empowering Others.”
Love was diagnosed with glioblastoma, a form of brain cancer, in February 2022. Doctors gave her about 15 months to live, but she surpassed that timeline. Love underwent surgery that removed 95% of the tumor and later participated in an immunotherapy clinical trial at Duke University where the tumor began to shrink.
On Mar. 1, 2025, Love’s daughter, Abigale Love, shared on X that the treatments were no longer effective and that the family was shifting focus on time together.
Love’s family announced her death on Mar. 23, 2025, in her home in Saratoga Springs.
“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,” her family posted on X.
Friends, family and fellow leaders shared condolences and tributes on social media following Love’s passing.
“Her energy, enthusiasm and wit made her a stand-out member of Congress. Her faith and fortitude made her a model for me and for countless others,” former U.S. senator Mitt Romney shared on X.
Utah Gov. Spencer J. Cox also shared his thoughts on social media, calling Love a friend and honoring her lasting impact on the state and the nation.
“A true trailblazer and visionary leader, Mia inspired countless Utahns through her courage, grace, and unwavering belief in the American dream,” Gov. Cox shared on X.
Gov. Cox said Love will be deeply missed and that her legacy would leave a lasting mark on Utah.
Just 12 days before her passing, Mia Love’s opinion editorial acknowledging the end of her life and her lasting wish for her country, “Mia Love: My living wish for the America I know,” was published on Deseret News.
“I thank each of you, and all of you, for being part of my journey in the American dream. You and I, we the people, will be forever connected in the cause of this country we love,” Love said.
Love's obituary echoed that sentiment.
“The heavens simply cannot contain the voice of this daughter, wife, mother, disciple, sister, friend, servant and voice for good ... Mia’s work has not ended, it has just begun and will resound and reverberate in thankful hearts in the days and decades ahead,” the obituary said.
From everyday citizens to national audiences, Love’s legacy lives on in the people she inspired and the principles she championed.