Mia Love, the first Black Republican woman to be elected to the US House of Representatives, has died of a malignant brain tumour at the age of 49, according to her family.
"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," Ms Love's family wrote on X.
"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."
Utah Governor Spencer Cox said he was "heartbroken" after learning of Ms Love's death.
"Mia inspired countless Utahns through her courage, grace, and unwavering belief in the American dream," he said.
Ms Love was diagnosed with glioblastoma in 2022.
In addition to being the first African-American Republican woman in Congress, she was the first Black lawmaker to represent Utah.
She previously served as mayor of Saratoga Springs from 2010 to 2014.
"I wasn't elected in Saratoga Springs because of my race or my gender or my heels," she once said about her time leading the city near Provo, Utah.
"I was elected by the people there because I had a plan and a vision to get us financially stable."
After losing her seat in America's 2018 midterm elections, Ms Love became a political commentator for CNN and served as an elector for the state of Utah during the 2020 presidential election.
Her family said information about funeral services and a public celebration of her life would be released in the days to come.
ABC/Reuters
