Elected Congressman Luke Letlow died Tuesday night of complications from COVID-19, and shook the political world in Louisiana weeks after his election to represent Louisiana’s 5th District in Congress as the state’s youngest U.S. representative.
Letlow, 41, died at Ochsner-LSU Health Shreveport due to ‘complications of COVID-19’, his spokesman Andrew Bautsch said in a statement.
Letlow was admitted to a hospital in Monroe on December 19 with COVID-19 symptoms before being transferred to Shreveport Hospital and moved to the intensive care unit on December 23. Letlow is survived by his wife, Julie Barnhill Letlow, and two young children, Bautsch said.
Luke Letlow would become Louisiana’s youngest American representative. He died Tuesday night from complications with COVID-19.
He was in a critical condition but recently showed signs of improvement when he ‘apparently suffered a heart attack tonight that was illegal for all attempts at revivals’, says Dr GE Ghali, of LSU Health Shreveport.
Ghali had earlier said Letlow was being treated with the antiviral drug Remdesivir and steroids. Asked if Letlow had underlying conditions that would make his death more likely, Ghali said in a text message: “None. Everything related to COVID.”
“The family appreciates the numerous prayers and support over the past few days, but asks for privacy during this difficult and unexpected time,” Bautsch said. A statement of the family and funeral arrangements will be announced later. ‘
Letlow won the congressional election earlier this month to replace outgoing Republican U.S. Rep. Ralph Abraham, for whom he served as chief of staff. He would be Louisiana’s youngest congressman.
“We do not all believe,” said Republican Party chairman Louis Gurvich. “The world was his oyster.”
Louisiana Elected Congressman Luke Letlow has been transferred to an intensive care unit at Shreveport Hospital while undergoing treatment for …
Letlow, of Start, a small rural community east of Monroe, defeated State Representative Lance Harris, also a Republican, in a run-off election to succeed Abraham on Dec. 5.
He was well-known among Louisiana political and government officials, having previously worked for Bobby Jindal when Jindal was in Congress and later in the governors’ office. He arrived at Abraham’s office in 2014 after working for an energy company in Denver in government relations.
“Luke has been a good friend for so many years, and we are sad that he was taken away from us at such a young age,” Jindal said in a post on Twitter. “We have been talking in recent days about his excitement about the opportunity to serve the people of the 5th Congressional District, and his love and dedication to Julia and their children.”
Jindal said he first met Letlow when he was a college student and spent countless hours with him in his truck on the back roads of Louisiana. His passion for service was constant throughout his life. ‘
Letlow cites his experience of the government in his quest for Congress and says he will use his political background to work with Republicans, Democrats and government staff to get federal aid to the largely rural district, which is the second poorest congressional district in the country. , to bring. He said his priorities are job creation and expanding high-speed internet services in the district.
His district, which he was to represent at the inauguration next month, includes 24 congregations and includes Monroe, Alexandria, Opelousas, St. Francisville, Amite and Bogalusa in.
When he tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this month, Letlow was one of many elected officials to contract the virus, including U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, Attorney General Jeff Landry, Treasurer John Schroder and Congressman Mike Johnson. Early in the pandemic, State Representative Reggie Bagala killed COVID-19, but no major elected officials have since succumbed to the virus that has killed more than 7,000 in Louisiana.
His death led to the outpouring of support from elected officials and political workers across the political spectrum. U.S. Rep. Garret Graves, R-Baton Rouge, called Letlow’s death a “great loss for Louisiana and America.”
U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy said his death “could kill COVID, bring home. For most people, it is not, but it is.”
Government John Bel Edwards said in a statement that Letlow “from an early age felt called to serve the people of his homeland.”
“COVID-19 took the elected Congressman Letlow from us far too soon. I am sad that he will not be able to serve our people as an American representative, but I am even more devastated for his loving family,” Edwards said. “Louisiana has lost more than 7,300 people to COVID-19 since March, and each one leaves a huge hole in our state.”
The governor ordered on the day of Letlow’s funeral that the flag be flown at half the staff.
Mark Ballard, Tyler Bridges and Emma Discher contributed to this story.