U.S. Rep. David Scott, a Democrat from Georgia, dies at 80

U.S. Representative David Scott, a Democrat from Georgia who was running for his 13th term in Congress, has died, according to his office. He was 80 years old.

Scott’s career in politics spanned decades, starting with Georgia’s State Assembly, where he served from 1975 to 2003. He was then elected to the U.S. House to represent Georgia’s 13th congressional district.

In 2021, Scott became the first black chair of the House’s powerful Agriculture Committee, but he quickly faced growing concern about his declining health. He lost the chair in 2023 but stayed on as a ranking member of the committee until 2025.

In 2022, Politico reported that fellow lawmakers and staff members were raising concerns about Scott’s health, citing instances where he was unable to finish his sentences, seemed to forget previous meetings, and had trouble focusing on a topic.

In 2024, Scott responded angrily when he was photographed in a wheelchair while being pushed by an aide, yelling: “Who gave you the right to take my picture, asshole?”

Despite those concerns, Scott filed to run for a 13th term and was due to face other candidates in the Democratic primary on May 19. His district included Clayton, Henry, Rockdale, Newton, Dekalb and Gwinnett counties.