Louisiana Rep.-elect Luke Letlow died from COVID-19 complications shortly before his swearing-in. Now his wife is running in a special election to fill his seat.

<p><img src="https://static1.businessinsider.com/image/5feca932a644880018193d5f-480/Letlow.jpg" border="0" alt="Luke Letlow" data-mce-source="Provided by Scott Franklin" data-mce-caption="Luke Letlow leaves behind his wife, Julia, and their two small children."></p><p></p><bi-shortcode id="summary-shortcode" data-type="summary-shortcode" class="mceNonEditable" contenteditable="false">Summary List Placement</bi-shortcode><p>Julia Letlow, the widow of Congressman-elect Luke Letlow, announced on Thursday that she'll run in a special Louisiana election to fill his empty seat.</p><p>"Everything in my life and in my marriage has prepared me for this moment," she said in a statement reported by the <a href="https://www.thenewsstar.com/story/news/politics/2021/01/14/julia-letlow-widow-rep-elect-luke-letlow-run-congress/4151817001/">Monroe News-Star</a>.</p><p>"My motivation is the passion Luke and I both shared: to better this region that we called home and to leave it a better place for our children and future generations," she added. "I am running to continue the mission Luke started&nbsp;&nbsp;to stand up for our Christian values, to fight for our rural agricultural communities&nbsp;and to deliver real results to move our state forward.''</p><p>Julia Letlow lost her husband to COVID-19 <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/louisiana-congressman-elect-luke-letlow-has-died-from-covid-19-2020-12">complications</a> on December 29, less than a week before he was set to be sworn into office as Louisiana's newest member of Congress. He was 41, and the couple has two children.</p><p>Congress <a href="https://www.speaker.gov/newsroom/122920-1">members</a> and Louisiana state officials expressed condolences after Luke Letlow's sudden death, and his friends <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/rep-elect-luke-letlow-covid-19-champion-for-rural-us-2020-12">said</a> he was "destined for big things."</p><p>A Republican, Luke Letlow won the December runoff election for the 5th Congressional District in the red state with 62% of the vote, according to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/12/05/us/elections/results-louisiana-house-district-5-runoff.html">The New York Times.</a> He would've replaced outgoing Rep. Ralph Abraham, who he previously worked for as chief of staff.</p><p>Following Luke Letlow's death, Gov. John Bel Edwards <a href="https://gov.louisiana.gov/assets/Proclamations/2021/2-JBE-2021-Special-Election-5th-Congressional-District.pdf">announced</a> a special election would take place to fill his vacant seat. A primary is scheduled for March 20, followed by a general election on April 24.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Julia Letlow works as an executive at the University of Louisiana Monroe. She did not immediately return Insider's request for comment.</p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/widow-of-louisiana-rep-elect-luke-letlow-runs-for-seat-2021-1#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-its-like-to-do-your-own-taxes-for-the-very-first-time-2018-2">July 15 is Tax Dayhere's what it's like to do your own taxes for the very first time</a></p>
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