David Scott, a Georgia congressman and moderate Democrat representing Atlanta’s southern suburbs since 2003, has died at the age of 80.

Scott’s health had been an open question in recent years, prompting calls for his retirement. He had not spoken on the floor of the House of Representatives in two years.

He was ranking member of the House agriculture committee, and was the first Black chairman of that committee when Democrats controlled the house.

Scott had qualified to run for a 12th term in Congress this year, but faced a host of Democratic challengers as his health conditions became apparent.

“His legacy of unwavering dedication to public service for more than 50 years will live on,” said Jasmine Clark, a microbiologist and Emory University professor serving in the state legislature, who was challenging Scott in the Democratic primary. “From his job fairs, to his support of farmers, veterans, and HBCUs [historically black colleges and universities], and more, Congressman Scott’s impact is woven into the fabric of our community and will live on in Georgia’s story.”

“Our community will come together and build upon his legacy,” said Everton Blair Jr, a former chairman of the Gwinnett county school board, and another of Scott’s Democratic primary challengers. “We’ve got to continue with our sharpest, strongest fighters to continue his legacy.”

“Congressman Scott devoted his life to public service and the State of Georgia, elected to the Georgia state house in 1974 and the state senate in 1982 before being elected to Congress in 2002,” Jon Ossoff, a US senator of Georgia said in a statement on Wednesday afternoon. “The State of Georgia is a better place thanks to the service of Congressman Scott. May his memory be a blessing.”

Scott earned a finance degree from Florida A&M University and an MBA from Wharton before going into business in billboard marketing. Scott served an eight-year term in the Georgia house, and 10 years in the state senate, before winning election to Congress in 2002.

Andre Dickens, the Atlanta mayor, described Scott as “one of Georgia’s longest-serving voices in Washington DC and a tireless advocate for the people he served”.

“For decades, he 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,” added Dickens. “His legacy is one of service, perseverance and deep commitment to this state. My thoughts are with his wife Alfredia Aaron, his children, extended family, his colleagues, and all who were impacted by his work.”

Scott was at times a “blue dog” moderate Democrat, like Sanford Bishop, a fellow Georgia congressman. In his early terms in Congress, Scott supported a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage – a position he later repudiated – and was one of a handful of Democrats to support tax cuts during the George W Bush administration. Scott controversially endorsed the former Republican US senator Johnny Isakson against the Democratic candidate Jim Barksdale in 2016 for the US Senate race in Georgia.

Scott bucked party orthodoxy to advance his areas of interest, particularly on legislation for farming, financial services and housing. Most recently, Scott worked to include his legislation on rural housing and financial literacy for home buyers into a bipartisan housing bill, which passed in February.

The last few years of his congressional tenure had been marked by his declining health. He had sharply curtailed his public appearances. Journalists looking at his voting record revealed he had been skipping elections, including his own re-election in November 2024; the 2024 presidential election; and several municipal and state elections in 2021, 2023 and 2025.

Scott’s fatigue at committee hearings and other public settings alarmed observers – cameras caught him falling asleep during the State of the Union address this year. In 2025, three Democrats over the age of 70 died in office.