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Newly elected Rep. Luke Letlow of Louisiana dies from COVID-19

By Bob D'Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
By Bob D'Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

SHREVEPORT, La. — Luke Letlow, elected to Congress from Louisiana in early December, died from COVID-19 complications on Tuesday, the Monroe News-Star reported. He was 41.

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The Congressman-elect died at a Shreveport hospital from “complications from COVID-19,” his spokesman, Andrew Bautsch, said in a statement.

Letlow was set to take office on Sunday. He would have been the youngest congressman from Louisiana.

The Republican from Start, who won a seat in Louisiana’s 5th Congressional District, announced on Dec. 18 that he had tested positive for COVID-19 and was quarantining at his home. He was admitted to a Monroe hospital the following day and was later transferred to an intensive care unit at a Shreveport hospital on Dec. 23, NOLA.com reported.

Letlow was in critical condition, but had recently shown signs of improvement when he “apparently suffered a cardiac event this evening that was refractory to all resuscitation efforts,” G.E. Ghali, of LSU Health Shreveport, told NOLA.com.

“The family appreciates the numerous prayers and support over the past days but asks for privacy during this difficult and unexpected time,” the family said in a statement. “A statement from the family along with funeral arrangements will be announced at a later time.”

Letlow won the congressional seat with 62% of the vote on Dec. 5 in a runoff election against fellow Republican state Rep. Lance Harris of Alexandria.

Letlow would have succeeded his former boss, Rep. Ralph Abraham, who did not seek reelection after honoring a pledge to serve a limit of three terms, the News-Star reported.

Letlow had been Abraham’s chief of staff, the newspaper reported.

“Just weeks ago, voters overwhelmingly chose Luke to represent them in Congress,” Rep. Garret Graves of Louisiana, said in a Facebook post. “They saw what so many of us know of Luke - kind, smart, quick-witted, God-fearing, hard-working, honest and just a good guy.

“This news is hard and words cannot express my sorrow right now. Life is a fragile gift.”

Letlow is survived by his wife, Julia Barnhill Letlow, and two young children.

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