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Saratoga Springs Mayor Mia Love will kick off her congressional campaign Thursday, using an elementary school to highlight her focus on the future.

"As a wife and mother of three children, I believe the best hope for our future is to focus on fiscal discipline, limited government and personal responsibility," Love said in a statement. "These three core principles drive economic growth and opportunity."

The daughter of Haitian immigrants, Love was elected to the Saratoga Springs City Council in 2003 and was elected mayor of the city in 2009, becoming the first black female mayor in the state's history.

She filed to run in the newly created 4th Congressional District in December. She is vying for the Republican nomination with attorney Jay Cobb and state Reps. Stephen Sandstrom of Orem and Carl Wimmer of Herriman.

Democratic U.S. Rep. Jim Matheson has said he plans to seek re-election in the district instead of in his current 2nd Congressional District.

"Now is the time for a leader in Washington who will both stand out with firm conservative views and stand up for constituents," Love said.

Robert Gehrke