Mia Love facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mia Love
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Utah's 4th district |
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| In office January 3, 2015 – January 3, 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Jim Matheson |
| Succeeded by | Ben McAdams |
| Mayor of Saratoga Springs | |
| In office January 8, 2010 – January 8, 2014 |
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| Preceded by | Timothy Parker |
| Succeeded by | Jim Miller |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Ludmya Bourdeau
December 6, 1975 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Died | March 23, 2025 (aged 49) Saratoga Springs, Utah, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Jason Love
(m. 1998) |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | University of Hartford (BFA) |
Mia Love (born Ludmya Bourdeau; December 6, 1975 – March 23, 2025) was an American politician and TV commentator. She served as a U.S. representative for Utah's 4th congressional district from 2015 to 2019.
Mia Love made history in several ways. She was the first Black person elected to Congress from Utah. She was also the first Haitian-American elected to Congress. Plus, she was the first Black woman elected to Congress as a Republican.
Before joining Congress, Love was the mayor of Saratoga Springs, Utah. She was elected to that role in 2010. After leaving Congress, she worked as a political commentator for CNN.
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Mia Love's Early Life and Education
Mia Love was born Ludmya Bourdeau on December 6, 1975. She was born in Brooklyn, a part of New York City. Her parents, Mary and Jean Maxime Bourdeau, came from Haiti in 1973. They left Haiti because of political problems there.
Love's birth in the U.S. helped her parents get permission to live in the country. They later became U.S. citizens. When Mia was five, her family moved to Norwalk, Connecticut. She went to Norwalk High School. Her family was Catholic, and she was raised in that faith. Later, her older siblings from Haiti joined the family in Connecticut.
Love went to the University of Hartford Hartt School. She studied musical theatre and earned a degree.
Starting Her Career in Public Service
After college, Mia Love worked for a few companies. She was also a flight attendant for Continental Airlines. In 1998, she moved to Utah.
Love started helping her community in Saratoga Springs, Utah. She became a spokesperson to help solve a problem with flies in her neighborhood.
In 2003, Love won a seat on the Saratoga Springs City Council. She was the first Haitian-American woman elected to office in Utah County. She helped the city save money during a tough economic time. Her work helped the city's finances improve a lot.
After six years on the city council, Love was elected mayor of Saratoga Springs. She served as mayor from 2010 to 2014. As mayor, she helped the city deal with big natural events. These included a wildfire and a serious mudslide.
Serving in the U.S. House of Representatives
Mia Love ran for Congress several times. She aimed to represent Utah's 4th congressional district.
Running for Congress
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In 2012, Love ran for Congress for the first time. She won the Republican nomination. She spoke at the 2012 Republican National Convention. There, she talked about what she learned from her parents. She was seen as a "rising star" in her party. She lost the election by a very small number of votes to Jim Matheson, a Democrat.
In 2014, Love ran for Congress again. This time, Jim Matheson decided not to run. Love won the election against Doug Owens. Her victory was historic. She became the first Black, Republican, and LDS woman elected to Congress.
In 2016, Love ran for re-election. She won again, defeating Doug Owens for a second time.
In 2018, Love ran for re-election against Ben McAdams, a Democrat. The election was very close. After two weeks of counting votes, McAdams was declared the winner. Love lost by only 694 votes. After her defeat, she spoke about how the Republican Party could do more to connect with minority voters.
What Mia Love Did in Congress
When Mia Love started in Congress in 2015, she joined the House Financial Services Committee. This committee deals with money and banking laws.
Love also joined the Congressional Black Caucus. This group works on issues important to Black Americans. She said it helped her work with others on important topics like making the justice system fairer.
In 2015, she helped create a bill called the Student Right to Know Before You Go Act. This bill aimed to give students more information about colleges. In 2016, her first bill passed the U.S. House. It helped small community banks grow, which could make more loans available.
Love supported laws against pyramid schemes. She also wanted to allow multivitamins to be bought with food assistance programs. She pushed for states to have more control over student loan companies.
In 2018, Love worked on immigration issues. She supported a plan that would help young immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children stay in the country. She also spoke out against the separation of children from their parents at the border.
In May 2018, a bill she worked on, the Small Bank Holding Company Relief Act, became law. Love was also a member of the Congressional Western Caucus and the Climate Solutions Caucus.
Towards the end of her time in Congress, Love missed some votes. She explained that she needed to care for a sick child.
After Congress: Mia Love's New Roles
After leaving Congress, Mia Love became a political commentator for CNN. She also worked with the United States Studies Centre in Australia. In 2020, she became a fellow at Georgetown University.
In 2021, Love joined the Center for Growth and Opportunity at Utah State University. She also appeared as a guest host on the TV show The View. In January 2023, she published a book about her life called Qualified: Finding Your Voice, Leading with Character, and Empowering Others.
Mia Love's Political Views
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Mia Love had clear views on many political topics.
Environment
Love believed in reducing federal rules, especially those from the Environmental Protection Agency. She supported building the Keystone XL pipeline. She also thought that states should have more control over public land. By 2017, she joined the Climate Solutions Caucus. This group believes that protecting the environment and growing the economy can happen at the same time.
Money and Budget
Love wanted to cut government spending. She suggested reducing money for programs like free school lunches and food help for families in need. She believed that helping people find jobs was better than keeping them dependent on government aid. She supported tax cuts and reducing money sent to other countries.
Guns
Love received support from gun rights groups. She said she would support raising the age to buy certain types of rifles to 21. She also favored banning devices called "bump stocks" and making background checks stronger for gun purchases.
Healthcare
Love wanted to get rid of the Affordable Care Act. She also supported reducing government help for healthcare costs. She believed in putting limits on how much money the government spends on Medicaid.
Immigration
Love supported changes to immigration laws. She co-sponsored a bill that would help young immigrants who came to the U.S. as children to stay permanently. She also worked with Democrats to try and pass immigration laws. She spoke out against separating children from their parents at the border.
Donald Trump
During her time in Congress, Mia Love often voted in line with President Donald Trump's positions. However, after she lost her re-election in 2018, she criticized Trump. She said that he and other Republicans needed to do more to connect with minority voters.
Mia Love's Personal Life
Mia Love was raised Catholic. In 1998, after college, she joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She moved to Utah to be closer to a temple and learn more about her faith.
In Utah, she married Jason Love in December 1998. They had met earlier when he was a missionary in Connecticut. The Loves had three children. When Mia was in Congress, Jason and their children stayed in Utah. Mia would use video calls and visit often to stay connected with her family.
Mia Love's Death
In February 2022, Mia Love was diagnosed with glioblastoma. This is a type of brain cancer. Doctors thought she had about ten to fifteen months to live. She had surgery to remove most of the tumor. By August 2023, she was in a special treatment trial, and the tumor was getting smaller.
On March 1, 2025, her daughter shared that the treatments were no longer working. The family decided to spend their remaining time together. Mia Love passed away at her home on March 23, 2025, at 49 years old.
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See also
- List of African-American United States representatives
- List of United States representatives from Utah
- Politics of Utah
- United States House of Representatives
- Women in the United States House of Representatives
