Veteran lawmaker and former House Agriculture Committee chairman passes away amid reelection campaign and health concerns.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Rep. David Scott, a longtime Democratic congressman from Georgia who was pursuing his 13th term in office, has died at the age of 80.
Scott, who represented a metropolitan district in the Atlanta area, had been a senior figure in his party, particularly on agricultural and food policy. He served as the top Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee and previously made history as the first Black chairman of the panel.
Over the course of his career, Scott was known as a leading advocate on farm assistance programs and food aid initiatives, while also holding a prominent role within the moderate Blue Dog coalition of Democrats in Congress.
In recent years, concerns had grown regarding his health, which became a point of contention within his party. He faced a primary challenge in 2024 and was again being challenged at the time of his death. Despite those pressures, Scott had publicly dismissed calls to step aside.
“Thank God I’m in good health, moving, and doing the people’s work,” he said in 2024.
Following news of his passing, Hakeem Jeffries offered remarks honoring Scott’s legacy.
“The news of Congressman Scott’s passing is deeply sad,” Jeffries said. “David Scott was a trailblazer who served district that he represented admirably, rose up from humble beginnings to become the first African American ever to chair the House Ag Committee. He cared about the people that he represented. He was fiercely committed to getting things done for the people of the great state of Georgia, and he’ll be deeply missed.”
Scott had maintained a lower profile on the campaign trail in 2026, though he remained a candidate for reelection at the time of his death.
His passing comes during a closely contested election cycle and is expected to have an impact on the balance in the House, where Republicans currently hold a narrow majority.
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