Rep. David Scott, D-Ga., who was seeking his 13th term in the House, has died at 80.
Scott’s office confirmed his death. The lawmaker had curtailed his activity in recent years because of physical ailments but had rebuffed suggestions by other Democrats that he should retire from Congress.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., called Scott a “trailblazer” who “rose up from humble beginnings to become the first African American ever to chair the House [Agriculture] Committee.”
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said the lawmaker “fought for Georgia farmers, advocated for our veterans and ensured his constituents were supported at the street level with job and health fairs, serving tens of thousands of Georgians over the years.”
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Who was David Scott?
Scott, a former Georgia state legislator, was elected to Congress in 2002, representing a newly created district outside of Atlanta. He easily won re-election in the heavily Democratic district, but was facing several well-funded Democratic challengers in next month’s primary.
From 2021 to 2023, Scott was chair of the House Agriculture Committee, a role never before held by a Black lawmaker. After Republicans regained control of the House in the 2022 elections, Scott became the committee’s ranking Democrat.
He recently faced questions about his health, with Politico reporting that people close to Scott noticed he’d been slowing down.
‘Age happens’
At 80, Scott was among the oldest lawmakers in Congress, which is currently the third-oldest in U.S. history. That fact has renewed debates over whether there should be age limits, or even term limits, for U.S. lawmakers.
Scott, though, repeatedly dismissed suggestions that he was too old to serve.
“Age happens,” he told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 2023. “As long as I’m doing the job, I’m going to do it. As long as the people want me to, I will do it.”
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican, is required to call a special election within 10 days. The winner would serve until January, when the winner of November’s general election takes office.
With Scott’s death, the partisan breakdown of the House stands at 217 Republicans, 212 Democrats and one Independent. Three House members have resigned this month over ethical issues: Reps. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, and Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, D-Fla. Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-Calif., died in January and his seat is still open.
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