If you haven’t heard of Ludmya “Mia” B. Love before, you will be hearing a lot more about her. Mia has the potential to be the next big thing in conservative politics. And you heard about her here first!
Mia is the American-born daughter of Haitian immigrants, mother of three children, served on the PTA, city council and now is Mayor of Sarotoga Springs, Utah. She is an avid runner and shooter, and I’m sure the readers will love this tidbit:
She has a concealed carry permit and often packs a gun. Her husband introduced her to shooting on their first date. His first gift to her was a rifle.
She’s also recently announced that she’s running for Congress in the newly created 4th District of Utah. This morning she rolled out a video to introduce herself to a wider audience:
What motivated Mia to get into politics? It started with the controversy over reciting the Pledge of Allegiance without the words “Under God” in it, as this 2009 article from when she was running for Mayor reflects:
Her political involvement began seven years ago, when she heard talk about taking the phrase “Under God” from the Pledge of Allegiance. At that time, Love taught her then 2-year-old daughter to recite the pledge with the reference to deity in it, so she would know it the way her mother had learned it in school.
If elected, Mia would be the first black female Republican member of Congress, and she plans on taking an aggressive role in dealing with the Congressional Black Caucus:
If elected in November, Love would be the first black Republican woman in Congress and Utah’s first black representative. She said she would join the Congressional Black Caucus in Washington, D.C., should she win.
“Yes, yes. I would join the Congressional Black Caucus and try to take that thing apart from the inside out,” she said….
“It’s demagoguery. They sit there and ignite emotions and ignite racism when there isn’t,” Love said. “They use their positions to instill fear. Hope and change is turned into fear and blame. Fear that everybody is going lose everything and blaming Congress for everything instead of taking responsibility.”
In September 2011, Mia wrote a guest column at The Daily Caller, CBC members should stop demonizing tea partiers:
I have yet to meet a tea party member who wants to see me “hanging on a tree,” as U.S. Rep. Andre Carson of Indiana recently suggested. He says the tea party considers me a second-class citizen. In truth, as a black conservative woman in Utah, I have been welcomed into the arms of a freedom-loving movement. The tea party reflects the principles of freedom and prosperity black Americans have long fought to win.
While race obviously will be a topic of discussion, Mia defines herself as a mother, wife, Utahan, and American:
As the videos above evidence, Mia voices an agenda of individual responsibility and liberty.
Mia is a fiscal conservative, having helped her town dig out from under a multi-million dollar deficit through cost cutting. Mia wants to take that agenda to Congress:
In order to balance the budget while cutting taxes, Love said she would start by abolishing the Department of Education and the Department of Energy, delegating their responsibilities to the states.
She said she would slash regulations and open up federal land to energy drilling.
Love recounted how her parents fled Haiti with $10 in their pocket, settling in Brooklyn and making a life for themselves.
“I had a front-row seat for two people living the American dream,” she said. “I will not stand by as we leave our children a legacy of debt and dependency.”
The 4th District was created because Utah gained an extra seat as a result of the Census. There is no incumbent, but current Democratic Congressman Jim Matheson will be running in the 4th District because his prior district was carved into four pieces in redistricting. (It’s okay to chuckle.) So while this is not a chance to flip a district, it is a chance to eliminate a Democratic seat in the House.
Defeating Matheson is a priority for the NRCC, which already has run an ad against him.
There are three Republicans with whom Mia will be competing for the Republican nomination, long-term State Senator Carl Wimmer, State Senator Stephen Sandstrom, and lawyer Jay Cobb.
The process in Utah is that there will be caucuses with Republican delegates and then a convention in the spring. If no candidate gets 60% of the delegate votes, there will be a primary between the top two. A primary is considered likely.
Both the Republican contest and the general election are expected to be close. Recent polling has Matheson in the lead, but that’s mainly due to better name recognition; Mia’s name recognition is low, giving her a good opportunity to grow her share of the vote.
I reached out to Mia recently and she was kind enough to call me. We had a great discussion. Mia is pro-life, pro-Tea Party, pro-Israel, and pro-2nd Amendment. (In case you were wondering, the rifle her husband gave her as a first gift was a Marlin .22 caliber with a stainless steel barrel and scope, and she packs a Glock 26 9 mm.)
Mother, runner, shooter, Mayor, small government conservative who got into politics for the right reasons, unafraid to take on the powers that be … I know you’re thinking what I’m thinking.
I’m making Utah-04 one of my focus races for 2012, and will do what I can to help Mia get the nomination and defeat Matheson.
Mia’s website is Love4Utah.com, she’s on Twitter @MiaBLove, Facebook and YouTube.
Mia she needs to raise funds pretty quickly to catch up with her competitors, to get her message out to Utah delegates, and to build the infrastructure for a primary race and general election. You can donate here.
Just do it. Operation Counterweight has started.
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Comments
Wow! Oh, the places she will go, if she wins! Go Mia!
[…] B. LOVE: A POLITICAL STAR rises in Utah. In addition to David Kirkham, who I guess has already kinda […]
[…] political star rises in … Utah – Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion Jan.09, 2012 in General https://legalinsurrection.com/2012/01/mia-b-love-a-conservative-political-star-rises-in-utah/#comment… Don't you think others need to hear […]
She’ll get the Palin Treatment. Bet on it. Best of luck to her, but its going to be very very ugly when the left notices her.
I hope she’s ready for that.
She said she was ready, but no one ever really can be prepared for it.
She’ll get the full Palin treatment, plus a really good serving of the Justice Thomas treatment.
I have this same fear. The left, so PC, so feminist, so multi-cultural, will try to eviscerate her.
Hang in there, Mia, I love your passion. Good luck! http://www.jourtegrity.blogspot.com
They used to call it “Borking.”
[…] is highlighting a new rising Republican from Utah — Ludmya “Mia” Love. She sounds good. It (sic) you haven’t heard of Ludmya “Mia” B. Love before, you will be hearing a lot more […]
It’ll be tougher to give Mia the Full Palin – or even to “Cain” her.
If this proves to be a trend, Race Hustling Pols might want to start looking for a real job.
[…] Professor William Jacobson’s Legal Insurrection Blog features a young conservative woman running for Congress in Utah’s Fourth Congressional District. Her name is Ludmya “Mia” B. Love and she is the current mayor of Saratoga Springs. […]
This is the sort of conservative and conservatism which terrifies the Left. A presidential candidate with this kind of authenticity, clarity and cheerful force would make the next year actually fun. I mean, deconstructing Obama really could be entertaining and exhilarating. Instead we’re guaranteed the flailing pathos of Mitt Romney.
1. Very good first impression, but I’m wary: first with Read My Lips Bush and most recently with Palin, Republican politicians have flagrantly, routinely let me down.
2. She’s not a lawyer. Good. (Sorry, Bill.) She’s a woman of faith but, apparently, not an axe-grinding religious kook. Better. Apparently she deploys a keen, supple, responsive, determined, principled intelligence. Best.
3. I fear that too many people are benefiting from American decline for it to be reversible. Still, the emergence of people like Love reminds me of the injunction that despair is a sin. We’ll probably hear more from her irrespective of how her current campaign fares.
I just watched the 2News clip. She said ‘you know’ fourteen times in two minutes, i.e. once every nine seconds.
That would not go over well in a broadcast/televised debate. She should correct it if she wants to move up to the next level. Style counts.
Agree–she needs some coaching. OTOH, a Black female GOP from Utah? How many Left wing stereotypes does that shatter? Let me count the ways.
I can only imagine the apoplexy at the CBC.
I live in CA, my vote doesn’t matter. The Dems win anything statewide by 15 pts; district elections are so gerrymandered that whichever party owns the district is going to win. Primaries matter a little, but they are pretty staged, as well.
So, my “vote” is small dollar contributions to races outside CA that I think might matter. She gets one.
She seems promising. We don’t see many conservative black women so it will be interesting to see the reaction she gets from the left.
I can see what the reaction from the left. There will be a detached curiosity about her until she becomes a threat at the statewide level. Until then, Mia is a human interest story that will receive scant attention.
Secretary Condaleeza Rice is one. I am sure there are many others. Some may not realize that they are conservative.
“We don’t see many conservative black women so it will be interesting to see the reaction she gets from the left.”
True.
Angela McGlowan and Star Parker were black conservative Republicans seeking election to Congress in 2010. Within about a week after McGlowan announced her candidacy, she said in an interview that she favored restrictions on gun laws. She was toast after that and lost her primary.
Parker ran unopposed in her primary. Presumably that means she ran in a heavily Democrat district and a Republican didn’t stand a chance of winning the general election.
Mia’s from conservative oriented Utah, appears to be a strong 2nd amendment advocate and supports the principle of limited government. Unlike McGlowan who self destructed, and Parker who didn’t stand a chance because of her district, at least Mia ought to stand a chance in the primary – though it’s a crowded primary so it will be an uphill battle going against a state legislator.
[…] LegalInsurrection […]
Even though this is a “new” district, it already has an incumbent representative!
Rep. Jim Matheson (D, UT-02) was re-districted into this “new” district, and his “old” district will be the one with a vacancy to fill.
Running against a popular, conservative (“blue dog” Democrat), entrenched (6 terms so far) incumbent from a well-established Utah political family (his father was governor of Utah from 1977 to 1985, his brother was a gubernatorial candidate in 2004) will be a challenge for Mia, or whomever wins the GOP primaries. However, there is speculation that Rep. Matheson will decide to challenge Sen. Orin Hatch (polling suggests he may beat Sen. Hatch).
The GOP primary is also likely to be a difficult race. In addition to Mia, there are already three other declared candidates: attorney Jay Cobb, and two state representatives, Carl Wimmer and Stephen Sandstrom. In addition, Utah AG Mark Shurtleff and former NFL star and BYU hero (Outland Trophy winner) Jason Buck are expected to enter the race.
I wish her luck!
Thanks for posting this. Maybe some day, we will all remember that LI is where we heard about this delightful person for the first time. Hope she goes far – keep us updated.
She reminds me of Sean Duffy (R), here in Wisconsin. He won the Congressional seat vacated by David Obey (D). Young, conservative, articulate, endorsed by Sarah Palin, etc.
Wondering why she left Mormon out of her bio?
http://mormon.org/me/1N1Q-eng/
All her bio says is: I found faith. Why not I found faith in the Mormon Church or somesuch? She’s obviously not shy about her Mormon faith in other areas. Why is it left off her official page?
Minor, I know. But it just seems to be a deliberate omission. Why?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYTuwhW_Inw
I suspect because there’s a segment that will support her because she’s Mormon and a segment that will oppose her because she’s Mormon and she’s trying to reach out to the rest of us without her religion becoming THE defining factor in her message.
Before she can take on the Congressional Black Caucus, she is going to have to take on the Institutional Republicans in Utah. The last couple of cycles have scared them badly. They remember that it was the TEA Party that has taken out their go-along-get-alongs; and the rise of a generation of Conservatives with local government experience, and a local base, is their nightmare. Since the Institutionals are determined to get a losing candidate in as the nominee for president; there is no reason to give money to the party or to the top of the ticket. My money is programed this cycle to Patriot candidates for Congress. The only thing that would make giving to her better would be if she was running against an Institutional incumbent.
Subotai Bahadur
Be still my heart !!
As lichau said above, “So, my “vote” is small dollar contributions to races outside CA that I think might matter. She gets one.”
Same here.
See Mia run. See Mia win. See Mia terrify the left.
[…] about Mia B. Love at Legal Insurrection Advertisement GA_googleAddAttr("AdOpt", "1"); GA_googleAddAttr("Origin", "other"); […]
[…] on government being often the problem, and not the solution, to our problems. She’s got a fairly crowded primary to deal with, and will be facing a transplanted Jim Matheson (who got redistricted out of his seat) if she wins […]
[…] on government being often the problem, and not the solution, to our problems. She’s got a fairly crowded primary to deal with, and will be facing a transplanted Jim Matheson (who got redistricted out of his seat) if she wins […]
There are lots of comments about the left demonizing candidates such as Mayor Love. The left has taken possession of the societal structures to easily do that. But this raises a question: Is it possible to similarly demonize leftist candidates? How can we do it? I am in the middle of deep red, so I always thought that the best option for me is to send money to courageous challengers elsewhere. Are there additional ways?
[…] Love’s values are my values, conservative values. She is not going to be a shill for the left wing loons that currently roam the halls of Congress […]
A caution to anyone who mentally anoints a mayor of a tiny Utah township to the title of “rising star” in U.S. federal politics. This appears to be a bit of premature hype. I believe Ms. Love is in her first term as a small-town mayor; hardly a comprehensive training ground for national leadership. Wimmer and Sandstrom, her conservative Republican opponents are proven and effective state-level leaders in Utah. It would seem that the only attributes that separate Love from those men is that she has much less experience, she is a woman and she is black. The general sitcom-addicted public might jump on that bandwagon but informed Utah Republican voters aren’t that shallow. They will vote based on achievement, trust and the likelihood that its new 4th District Congressman will go back to
Washington and very visibly and effectively battle big-government like Utah Congressmen Lee and Chaffetz.
Welcome to the world of blog trolls, Mia. The person who posted this fails to disclose that he endorsed Carl Wimmer last August. So the reference to “Wimmer and Sandstrom, her conservative Republican opponents are proven and effective state-level leaders in Utah” is classic troll. I have nothing against Carl Wimmer, but if his supporters want to post comments here, at least be honest about who you are and don’t pretend to be a neutral observer.
Sing it, Ladies !!
My nomination to be the official song for Operation Counterweight.
LukeHandCool (who, speaking of his uncle these days, was at the San Diego Hilton Mission Bay Resort for the summer, circa 1970, when his uncle, still involved in the business in those days, and who was visiting us for a few days, spotted Della Reese outside the lobby. Luke, who vaguely knew of Ms. Reese at the time as his parents had one of her albums, was as well-behaved as usual as his uncle and Ms. Reese chatted amiably for a few minutes).
LukeHandCool:
Love the theme song!
LOL! Awesome!
“…a mayor of a tiny Utah township…”
So, whatcha think about Sarah Palin?
Mr Jacobson, “Classic Troll” is a so-called conservative blog which manufactures hype with no particular evidence except the thrill that goes up one’s leg when he contemplates a self-proclaimed conservative, black woman running against a democrat in a Republican district. Reasonable voters, particularly Republican delegates will look deeper and vote based on who will best get the job done, not blog-promos.
The evidence is laid out in the blog post in detail with links, and I didn’t try to hide my identity and pretend that I was something I was not.
So Joe, do you suppose you are helping or hurting Mr. Wimmer with your disingenuous concern trolling?
Thanks, Joe. I’m gonna double what I first intended to donate to Mia’s campaign.
You reminded me of what she’ll be up against.
Is fair play too much to ask? It ain’t cricket to pretend you’re an objective observer when you aren’t.
Full disclosure and then make your case. What’s wrong with that?
Don’t mess with Bill. And don’t mess with Ms. Love.
P.S. Your “classic troll” definition sucks, classically.
I just sent $100 to:
https://mialove.nationbuilder.com/donations1
…and I sent it in the name of Sovereign Joe.
“Is fair play too much to ask? It ain’t cricket to pretend you’re an objective observer when you aren’t.”
Reminds me of something…can’t quite put my finger on it but lots of three-letter acronyms keep popping into my head
[…] went from three to four, but when you see who wants to run for those blue skies, you’ll give up your […]
She is the female Rep. Allen West, with balls, just like him. In a manner of speaking.
Sovreign “Dirty Tricks” Joe unintentionally makes the case for “citizen legislator” in lieu of career politican (of either politcal party).
[…] https://legalinsurrection.com/2012/01/mia-b-love-a-conservative-political-star-rises-in-utah/ […]
Why are conservative women hot? And why hasn’t Harry Reid introduced an affirmation action law mandating that more conservatives be “not hot”?
All women are hot. Never met an unattractive woman, not one.
Except Barney Frank.
Come clean and admit that when you saw these pert things, you could hear the blood pulsing through your throbbing earlobes:
http://windycitizensports.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/barney-frank-man-boobs-3.jpg?w=511
LukeHandCool (who also thinks Ms. Love is a smoking hot conservative woman).
My eyes! MY EYES! Ahhhhhhhhhh!
Think ill of me if you must, but I thought Janet Reno was hot Hot HOT.
Janet Reno is not a woman.
Just clicked on the link – UUUGH! Ready to lose my dinner!
Wow! This comment section has me screaming, “I want a ‘like’ button!” You all are on a roll (excluding trolls, of course)
So if Sovereign Joe represents the brightest and best Republican Party hacks in Utah they must all be in the early onset stage of Alzheimer’s to have forgotten the Bob Bennett lesson so soon. Go Mia!
I like Mia very much. I met her at a new years party at Kirkham Motorsports. She is VERY sharp, and will a formidable candidate. She is personable and carries herself very well.
My state representative is Stephen Sandstrom, and he too will be rather competitive as he is conservative in the same way Mia is. I only live a couple blocks from Steve, so I’m guessing I’m in the Fourth District as well. I was in the Third previously.
These people would represent us very well.
The Olympia Chapter of the Winston Churchill Fan Club’s donation is in the mail.
Thanks Bill for posting. I look forward to her and West tag teaming the snot out of the CBC.
http://thurstonpundits.blogspot.com/2012/01/mia-love-endorsement-from-olympia.html
[…] been compared with Marco Rubio and called “the next big thing in conservative politics.” Meet Mia Love, a wife, mother, mayor and runner who is, er, running for Congress in […]
Okay, I get “she’ll receive the Palin treatment”. I admit it, it’s getting old. Get over it and move on!!!!
If she returns with the same rigor as Palin… game on.
One thing that pissed me off about Cain was he didn’t fight back. He should have taken press conference after press conference and antagonized the media and used every single one of those on camera interviews to go after Obama.
….”I have something to say about the accusations of grab assing anonymous accusers too cowardly to come forward… Unemployment is at 8.6% and Obama has been nothing more than a thug shaking down the business community… NEXT QUESTION”
He may not have won the race, but he’d have gone out like a street fighter leaving the Obama/Biden camp sorry they’d ever screwed with him.
Excellent point. Totally agree.
Is she a “mamma grizzly”. Perhaps a visit by Palin is in order?
Professor.
Thank you for posting this. I have some family members who are black, they are also conservative and tea party supporters. They’re always looking to support strong AA conservatives, I’ll be sure to pass this onto to them.
This lady looks like a very good candidate. Sending some $$ her way immediately, and I’m hoping to convince some of my family to do the same.
Hot Air has her front and center now.
Mia. Outstanding. !
Mama Mia!!!
My basic policy is not to jump into primary races in places I’m not familiar with unless there is a compelling reason. Rubio comes to mind, because he was running against Crist, a man I disdain and believe untrustworthy.
People jumping in without sufficient knowledge of the state or district is just the sort of blind donating that helped give us Sharron Angle, Buck, and Maes in Colorado, and other unelectable general election candidates.
donb @ 11:34 am indicates there will be a number of candidates filing for this primary. I have little or no knowledge of any of them (except Jason Buck, but I only know football about him), so I’ll stay the heck out of it for now.
By a long shot, careful, fully educated investigation of candidates prior to making donations more often helped give us Sharron Angle, Buck, and Maes in Colorado, and other unelectable general election candidates.
She’s the mayor of a small town in Utah? Still more executive experience that Emperor Obamus when he got elected to the WH.
LOL …saw the vid over to Hot Air ….posted it on my blog
“Is fair play too much to ask? It ain’t cricket to pretend you’re an objective observer when you aren’t.”
Speaking of it ain’t cricket.
http://blogs.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/timblair/index.php/dailytelegraph/comments/sehwag_67_segway_0/
[…] (H/T to Legal Insurrection) […]
[…] HT: Legal Insurrection […]
If she does gain traction I wonder how many men the GOP and MSM will be able to get to come out of the woodwork claiming she sexually harassed them, or that they had an affair with her. You know she is most likely a traitor to her race too.
Towson Lawyer: “Janet Reno is not a woman.”
YOU TAKE THAT BACK, MISTER.
[…] Bill Jacobson stated, “I’m making Utah-04 one of my focus races for 2012, and will do what I can to help […]