Rep. David Scott has died after representing his Georgia district for more than two decades. He was 80 years old.
A cause of death was not immediately disclosed. He was the fifth member of the 119th Congress to die since January 2025.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries told reporters that the news of his passing is “deeply sad.”
“David Scott was a trailblazer who served the district that he represented admirably, rose up from humble beginnings to become the first African American ever to chair the House Ag Committee,” he added. “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.
Mr. Scott, a Democrat, was running for reelection this year to what would have been his 13th term in Congress. He faced several primary challengers who used his age as an argument for replacing him.
His opponents in the May 19 primary included state Rep. Jasmine Clark, dentist Heavenly Kimes, former Gwinnett County School Board Chair Everton Blair and state Sen. Emanuel Jones.
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However, voters in Mr. Scott’s district still appeared supportive of him despite concerns about his advanced age and declining mental sharpness,
He was first elected to Congress in 2002 and previously served as the top Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee. He was the first Black man to chair the panel. Before his stint in Washington, he served 20 years in the Georgia state Senate and eight years in the state House of Representatives.
Mr. Scott was a prominent supporter of farmers, food aid and historically Black colleges and universities. He recently voiced his opposition to a federal farm bill because it “failed to provide additional relief to the producers who were hurt the most.”
He also requested nearly $32 million to boost infrastructure across his district — for water systems, transportation and public safety.
• Mary McCue Bell can be reached at mbell@washingtontimes.com.
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