Former U.S. Rep. Mia Love of Utah, the first Black Republican woman elected to Congress, died at 49 after battling brain cancer. Known for her groundbreaking political career, Love made history in Utah but lost her seat in 2018.

Former U.S. Representative Mia Love of Utah, the daughter of Haitian immigrants who made history as the first Black Republican woman elected to Congress, passed away on Sunday at the age of 49.

The announcement of her death was shared by her family on her official X account. Love had been battling brain cancer and had been part of a clinical trial receiving immunotherapy at Duke University's brain tumor center. Earlier this month, her daughter disclosed that the former lawmaker had stopped responding to treatment.

Mia Love began her political journey in 2003 when she won a seat on the city council of Saratoga Springs, a rapidly growing community approximately 30 miles (48 kilometers) south of Salt Lake City. Her leadership and influence later led her to become the city's mayor.

In 2012, Love made her first attempt to enter Congress, challenging the Democratic incumbent, former Representative Jim Matheson, in a district that included several Salt Lake City suburbs. Although she narrowly lost that race, she returned two years later and successfully defeated first-time candidate Doug Owens by a margin of about 7,500 votes.

While Love did not highlight her race during her campaigns, she acknowledged its significance after her victory in 2014. Her win was seen as a milestone, defying critics who claimed that a Black, Republican, Mormon woman could not secure a congressional seat in predominantly white and conservative Utah.

Love's early success marked her as a potential rising star within the Republican Party. However, she maintained her independence from then-presidential candidate Donald Trump, who was not well-received by many Utah voters. In 2016, following the release of a 2005 recording of Trump making lewd comments about women, Love chose not to attend the Republican National Convention and publicly announced that she would not vote for him. Instead, she endorsed Texas Senator Ted Cruz for the GOP nomination, although his campaign ended months later.

During her 2018 reelection campaign, Love attempted to balance her party’s stance on tax cuts while distancing herself from Trump's positions on trade and immigration. Despite the fact that registered Republicans outnumbered Democrats in her district nearly three to one, Love narrowly lost her seat to former Salt Lake City Mayor Ben McAdams, a Democrat, by fewer than 700 votes.

Mia Love's legacy as a trailblazing politician and her impact on Utah's political landscape remain significant. Her passing marks the end of a notable chapter in American political history.