A rising Republican star out of California has died from Covid-19 just weeks after lashing out at vaccine mandates during a right-wing rally.

       Kelly Ernby, the deputy district attorney of Orange County and a presumptive state Assembly candidate in 2022, died shortly after telling her family and friends that she had contracted Covid-19.

       According to The Los Angeles Times, Ms Ernby fell ill shortly after she spoke at a Turning Points USA rally on 4 December. She told rally-goers that "there's nothing that matters more than our freedoms right now."

       It is unclear if Ms Ernby was vaccinated.