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Mia Love, the first Black Republican woman in Congress, is now battling terminal brain cancer, her daughter, Abigale, said in a recent update on X.
‘Many of you are aware that Mom has been fighting GBM brain cancer. Sadly her cancer is no longer responding to treatment and the cancer is progressing,” the post read in part.
Abigale said that their family is concentrating on enjoying the time that they have left with their mother. Love has been married to her husband, Jason, since December 1998. The couple has four children together.
In 2015, Love became the first Black woman to represent Utah in Congress. She served two terms before losing her seat in 2018 to former Salt Lake City mayor Ben McAdams by around 700 votes. Following that defeat, Love became a commentator on CNN. During her time in the House of Representatives, Love represented suburban Salt Lake City.
Upon her loss, President Donald Trump infamously mocked her saying: “Mia Love gave me love and she lost. Too bad. Sorry about that, Mia,” as he took credit for the defeats of members of his own party.
In her concession speech, Love offered a blistering rebuke of Trump.
“The president’s behaviour towards me made me wonder: what did he have to gain by saying such a thing about a fellow Republican,” said the then 42-year-old. “It was not really about asking him to do more, was it? Or was it something else? Well Mr President, we’ll have to chat about that.”
She added: “This election experience and these comments shines a spotlight on the problems Washington politicians have with minorities and black Americans – it’s transactional, it’s not personal.
“You see, we feel like politicians claim they know what’s best for us from a safe distance, yet they’re never willing to take us home. Because Republicans never take minority communities into their home and citizens into their homes and into their hearts, they stay with Democrats and bureaucrats in Washington because they do take them home — or at least make them feel like they have a home.”
Love, the daughter of Haitian immigrants, got her start in politics when she was elected mayor of Saratoga Springs in 2009, making her the first Black woman to be elected mayor in the state.
Abigale Love has asked anyone with memories of her mother to contact the family at [email protected].
Abigale’s post was retweeted by Utah Governor Spencer Cox.
“Mia Love has served Utah with integrity, and her strength and grace continue to inspire us. Our hearts are with Mia and her family during this difficult time. Utah stands with you,” he wrote.
Love revealed in 2023 that she was diagnosed with glioblastoma a year earlier. At the time of the diagnosis, Love said she was given 10 to 15 months to live.
In 2024, Love’s family started a crowdfunding campaign to help her to pay for a clinical trial at Duke University. She later told CNN that the initial treatment appeared to be working.
