Julia Letlow

Julia Janelle Letlow (née Barnhill; born March 16, 1981) is an American politician and academic administrator. She is the United States representative of Louisiana's 5th congressional district since April 14, 2021. Letlow is the first Republican woman to represent Louisiana in the House. She is currently running for the U.S. Senate in the 2026 election.

Letlow's husband, Luke Letlow, was elected to the United States House of Representatives for  in the 2020 elections, but died from COVID-19 before taking office.

 Early life 
Letlow was born Julia Janelle Barnhill on March 16, 1981, in Monroe, Louisiana. She graduated from Ouachita Christian High School. She earned her Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in speech communications from the University of Louisiana at Monroe, followed by a Doctor of Philosophy in communications from the University of South Florida in 2012.

Academic career
Letlow worked as director of education and patient safety for Tulane University School of Medicine. In 2018, she was named director of external affairs and strategic communications for the University of Louisiana at Monroe (ULM). In 2020, she was a possible candidate to become president of ULM.

U.S. House of Representatives
Letlow's husband, Luke Letlow, was elected to the United States House of Representatives for  in the 2020 elections, but died from COVID-19 in December 2020, before taking office. Julia decided to run in the special election for the empty seat in January 2021. On March 20, she received over 64% of the vote in the nonpartisan blanket primary, winning the election and avoiding a runoff. Letlow is the first Republican woman elected to Congress from Louisiana. She was sworn in on April 14, 2021. 

On January 3, 2025, Letlow voted for Mike Johnson for Speaker of the House in the 119th Congress.

Letlow won re-election in 2022, winning 67% of the vote. She won re-election in Louisiana's November 5, 2024, primary with 62.9% of the vote.

 2026 U.S. Senate campaign 
In January 2026, Letlow announced that she would run for the U.S. Senate in 2026, challenging Republican incumbent Bill Cassidy.

 Personal life 
Letlow met Luke Letlow in high school, and years later, they married in 2013. They had two children together before his death in 2020. In 2025, Letlow announced her engagement to Kevin Ainsworth, a lawyer and lobbyist from Baton Rouge.https://www.nola.com/news/politics/julia-letlow-engaged-white-house/article_11f9826f-48eb-429e-8c24-f21e3a62202e.html

Letlow is a Presbyterian.

Notes

References

Other websites

Representative Julia Letlow official U.S. House website
 Representative Julia Letlow Campaign website




Category:1981 births
Category:Living people
Category:United States representatives from Louisiana
Category:Republican Party (United States) politicians
Category:Academics from Louisiana
Category:American Presbyterians