Julia Letlow is a 44-year-old Republican U.S. Representative from Louisiana's 5th Congressional District since 2021. She earned her B.A. and M.A. in speech communications from the University of Louisiana at Monroe and her Ph.D. from the University of South Florida. She served as a university professor and administrator before her election to Congress. Letlow was first elected in a 2021 special election to replace her late husband, Luke Letlow, who died of COVID-19 in December 2020 before taking office. She won re-election in 2022 with 67.6% and 2024 with 62.9%. Letlow sits on the House Appropriations Committee and has become a prominent Trump-aligned Republican voice. She is the first Republican woman elected to Congress from Louisiana.
Julia Janelle Letlow was born March 16, 1981, in Monroe, Louisiana. She is the first Republican woman elected to Congress from Louisiana. Her path to politics was unconventional - she initially worked as a university professor and administrator in higher education, earning positions at the University of Louisiana at Monroe and Tulane University focusing on education quality and patient safety. She met her husband, Luke Letlow, in high school. Luke was elected to Louisiana's 5th Congressional District in 2020 but died from COVID-19 complications in December 2020 before taking office. Julia decided to run in the special election to 'pick up Luke's baton' and won with over 64% in the blanket primary, avoiding a runoff. She has since been reelected twice and serves on the House Appropriations Committee, focusing on securing federal resources for Louisiana projects. Letlow is a mother of two and became engaged to Kevin Ainsworth, a Baton Rouge lawyer and lobbyist, in December 2025 at a Congressional Christmas ball where Trump announced the engagement.