Representative David Scott, a Georgia Democrat who served nearly three decades in the state’s legislature before being elected to Congress, has died at 80 years old, House leaders announced on Wednesday.
Mr. Scott represented Georgia’s 13th congressional district for more than 20 years. During his time in Washington, he established himself as an advocate for Black communities. He prioritized both urban and rural issues, reflecting the contours of a district that included southwest Atlanta suburbs and stretched into less populous counties.
He was the first Black lawmaker to lead the House Agriculture Committee, and used the perch to focus attention on farming communities in the South that had been reeling from years of natural disasters and economic crises.
In recent years, he drew more attention for his refusal to exit politics amid a series of health problems that had noticeably slowed his pace, prompting members of his own party to vote him out of a leadership position on the committee he had once helmed. His age and declining influence in the party placed him in a class of Black Democrats who faced intense scrutiny for their reluctance to retire, as their critics pushed for a younger generation of public servants to run for office.
Mr. Scott made headlines last month when he appeared at the Georgia State Capitol to file paperwork to seek a 13th term in office. Among the first in line to register for the May primary, he was wheeled into the building by an aide, and ignored questions from reporters about his health and ability to meet the demands of the job.
Mr. Scott was casting votes at the Capitol as recently as Tuesday.
The new vacancy alters the balance in the House in favor of Republicans, who now have a slightly larger margin following a string of resignations.
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