Louisiana Rep.-Elect Luke Letlow Dies Of COVID-19: How Will His Seat Be Filled?

The COVID-related death of 41-year-old congressman-elect Luke Letlow of Louisiana leaves questions about filling his seat in the House of Representatives.

Letlow defeated fellow Republican and state Rep. Lance Harris in a two-man runoff in early December, just days before his diagnosis. Testing positive for COVID-19 on Dec. 18, Letlow died of complications from the infection on Tuesday, a spokesman for the congressman-elect stated on Facebook.

“COVID-19 has taken Congressman-elect Letlow from us far too soon,” Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said in a statement. “I am heartbroken that he will not be able to serve our people as a U.S. Representative, but I am even more devastated for his loving family.”

The governor did not address the issue of filling the seat that will be left vacant by Letlow, who would have been sworn into office Sunday. Edwards, a Democrat, reserves the right to call for a special election anytime a congressional seat in the state is vacated, but so far no date has been identified.

Vacancies in the Senate can be filled by appointment, as was the case when California Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed Alex Padilla to fill the seat vacated by Vice President-elect Kamala Harris. Vacancies in the House, however, can take as long as six months to fill because their seat can only be filled through a special election.

Letlow’s victory helped solidify gains for the GOP in the House. Republicans managed to gain more than a dozen seats in the House in the recent election. However, Democrats still have the majority in the House, holding 222 seats to the 211 for the GOP, according to CNN’s count.

Louisiana tends to vote Republican. President Donald Trump secured the state’s eight votes in the Electoral College by beating former Vice President Joe Biden with 58.5% of the votes cast in the Nov. 3 election.

Letlow’s passing brought words of sympathy from across party lines.

“Congressman-elect Letlow was a ninth generation Louisianan who fought passionately for his point of view and dedicated his life to public service,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a statement. “As the House grieves Congressman-elect Letlow’s passing, our sorrow is compounded by the grief of so many other families who have also suffered lives cut short by this terrible virus.”

According to data compiled by Ballotpedia, Letlow is the second federal-level official to die of complications of COVID-19. Stephen F. Williams, a federal judge on the U.S Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, died from COVID-19 on Aug. 7

Letlow, who turned 41 on Dec. 6, is survived by his wife, Julia Barnhill Letlow, and two young children. Flags in Louisiana are at half-mast in commemoration.

“Louisiana has lost more than 7,300 people to COVID-19 since March, and each one of them leaves a tremendous hole in our state,” Gov. Edwards added.