Mia Love, first Black Republican congresswoman, dies after cancer battle

Former US Rep. Mia Love, the first Black woman elected to Congress as a Republican, passed away following a fight with an aggressive form of brain cancer, her family announced on X Sunday night.

Former US Rep. Mia Love, the first Black woman elected to Congress as a Republican, passed away following a fight with an aggressive form of brain cancer, her family announced on X Sunday night. Love, who was 49, represented Utah’s 4th Congressional District from 2015-2019. “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,” the Love family wrote on Mia Love’s X account. “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.” Utah Gov. Spencer Cox called Love “a true trailblazer and visionary leader,” in a post about her death. “Abby and I are heartbroken by the passing of our dear friend Mia Love. 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,” Cox said. In May, Love appeared on CNN’s “The Lead with Jake Tapper” to explain her 2022 diagnosis with glioblastoma brain cancer, or GBM. People diagnosed with GBM typically have just a year-and-a-half to two years to live, with only a 10% chance of survival after five years, according to the MD Anderson Cancer Center.