Elected congressman Luke Letlow died on Tuesday night of complications with COVID-19, shaking the Louisiana political world weeks after his election to represent Louisiana’s 5th district in Congress as the youngest US representative in the state.
Letlow, 41, died at Ochsner-LSU Health Shreveport of “complications from COVID-19,” said his spokesman, Andrew Bautsch, in a statement.
Letlow was admitted to a Monroe hospital with COVID-19 symptoms on December 19 before being transferred to Shreveport hospital and moving to the intensive care unit on December 23. Letlow leaves his wife, Julie Barnhill Letlow, and two young children, Bautsch said.
He was in critical condition, but recently showed signs of improvement when “he apparently suffered a cardiac event tonight that was refractory to all resuscitation efforts,” said Dr. GE Ghali of LSU Health Shreveport.
Luke Letlow was set to become the youngest representative of the United States of Louisiana. He died Tuesday night from complications with COVID-19.
Ghali said earlier that Letlow was being treated with the antiviral drug Remdesivir and steroids. Asked if Letlow had an underlying condition that would have made his death more likely, Ghali said in a text message: “none. Everyone related to COVID”.
“The family thanks the countless prayers and support in the last few days, but asks for privacy during this difficult and unexpected period,” said Bautsch. “A family statement along with funeral arrangements will be announced later.”
Letlow won the election to Congress earlier this month to replace Republican MP Ralph Abraham, of whom he served as chief of staff. He was set to be Louisiana’s youngest congressman.
“We all don’t believe it,” said Louis Gurvich, the Republican party president. “The world was your oyster.”
Louisiana’s elected Congressman, Luke Letlow, was transferred to an intensive care unit at a Shreveport hospital while continuing treatment for …
Letlow of Start, a small rural community east of Monroe, defeated state Rep. Lance Harris, also a Republican, in a runoff to succeed Abraham on December 5.
He was well known to Louisiana politicians and government officials, having previously worked for Bobby Jindal when Jindal was in Congress and later in the governor’s office. He arrived at Abraham’s office in 2014, after a stint working for a Denver energy company in government relations.
“Luke has been a good friend for so many years and we are sad that he was taken from us at such a young age,” said Jindal in a post on Twitter. “We have talked in recent days about your excitement at the opportunity to serve the people of the 5th congressional district and your love and devotion for Julia and her children.”
Jindal said he met Letlow when Letlow was a college student and spent “countless hours with him in his truck, driving down the back roads of Louisiana. His passion for service has been a constant throughout his life.”
Letlow praised his government experience in his candidacy for Congress, saying he would use his political background to work with Republicans, Democrats and government officials to bring federal aid to the predominantly rural district, which is the country’s second poorest congressional district. He said his priorities were to create jobs and extend fast Internet service across the district.
His district, which he reportedly represented at the inauguration next month, spans 24 parishes and includes Monroe, Alexandria, Opelousas, St. Francisville, Amite and Bogalusa.
When he tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this month, Letlow was one of many elected officials who contracted the virus, including US Senator Bill Cassidy, Attorney General Jeff Landry, Treasurer John Schroder and Congressman Mike Johnson. Early in the pandemic, state deputy Reggie Bagala died of COVID-19, but no major elected official has since succumbed to the virus that killed more than 7,000 in Louisiana.
His death provoked a demonstration of support from elected officials and political agents across the political spectrum. US Rep. Garret Graves, R-Baton Rouge, called Letlow’s death “a great loss for Louisiana and America”.
American Senator Bill Cassidy said his death “brings home COVID can kill. For most people, no, but it really can”.
Governor John Bel Edwards said in a statement that Letlow “felt a call from a young age to serve the people of his home state”.
“COVID-19 took Congressman-elect Letlow from us too early. I am heartbroken that he cannot serve our people as a representative of the United States, but I am even more devastated by his loving family,” said Edwards. “Louisiana has lost more than 7,300 people to COVID-19 since March, and each has left a huge hole in our state.”
The governor ordered the flags to be flown at half-mast on the day of Letlow’s funeral.
Mark Ballard, Tyler Bridges and Emma Discher contributed to this story.