Five Members Of 119th Congress Have Died In Office As House Ages
Rep. David Scott, an 80-year-old Georgia Democrat, has died while seeking re-election, becoming the fifth member of the 119th Congress to die in office. He was seeking a 13th term and faced a May 19 primary when he died. Scott first won office in the Georgia House in 1974 and the state Senate in 1982 before winning election to Congress, where he served more than two decades. He chaired the House Agriculture Committee during the first two years of the Biden administration and later became its ranking member. Outlets said details about the cause and timing of his death have not yet been released.
News organizations counted Scott as the fifth member of the 119th Congress to die in office, noting four other recent deaths and underscoring an aging House. CBS reported a House split of 218 Republicans, including a GOP-leaning independent, to 212 Democrats, while another tally gave the whole number as 430 with 217 Republicans, 212 Democrats and one independent. Pew Research data cited in reporting noted that at the start of the 119th Congress, 117 members were over 70 and 19 were over 80, a demographic backdrop that analysts say matters for turnover. In the previous 118th Congress four members also died in office, including Senator Dianne Feinstein. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries confirmed Scott's death and praised his rise from humble beginnings, and Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens lauded his advocacy for farmers and veterans.
Early coverage emphasized Scott's career achievements and his bid for another term while downplaying questions about his health. Later reporting, notably by MS NOW and PBS, drew attention to concerns about his ability to serve and his 2024 removal as top Democrat on the Agriculture Committee amid descriptions of declining speech and focus. Scott himself had said in 2024 that he was in good health and planned to keep working, which complicated how supporters and critics judged his recent activity.
📌 Key Facts
- Rep. David Scott, an 80-year-old longtime Democratic congressman from Georgia, has died; details about the cause and exact timing of his death have not yet been released.
- Scott was running for a 13th term in Congress and was facing a primary challenge at the time of his death; he had been largely inactive on the 2026 campaign trail but had publicly dismissed pressure to retire, saying in 2024 he was in good health.
- Scott’s political career began in the Georgia House (first elected 1974), then the Georgia Senate (elected 1982), before his election to the U.S. House, where he served more than two decades.
- He chaired the House Agriculture Committee during the first two years of the Biden administration and later served as the committee’s ranking member; House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries noted Scott was the first Black person to chair the Agriculture Committee.
- In 2024 Scott was removed as the top Democrat on the Agriculture Committee amid concerns about his health, with reports describing a declining ability to speak and focus.
- The House formally acknowledged Scott’s passing on the floor, reducing the full membership to 430, and media reports updated the chamber’s partisan balance to roughly 217–218 Republicans, 212 Democrats, and 1 independent (reporting varied by outlet).
- Scott is the fifth member of the 119th Congress to die in office; the other four reported deceased members are Doug LaMalfa (65), Gerry Connolly (75), Raúl Grijalva (77), and Sylvester Turner (70).
- Broader age and mortality context: at the start of the 119th Congress, 117 members were over 70 and 19 were over 80 (Pew Research Center); in the previous 118th Congress four members also died in office, including Sen. Dianne Feinstein.
📰 Source Timeline (7)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Confirms Scott is the fifth member of the 119th Congress to die in office.
- Lists the other four deceased members: Doug LaMalfa (65), Gerry Connolly (75), Raúl Grijalva (77), and Sylvester Turner (70), with basic biographical context.
- Provides updated partisan balance as 218 Republicans (including one GOP-leaning independent) to 212 Democrats.
- Adds broader age context: at the start of the 119th Congress, 117 members were over 70 and 19 were over 80, per Pew Research Center.
- Notes that in the 118th Congress four members also died in office, all between 65 and 90, including Sen. Dianne Feinstein.
- Confirms and elaborates on the death of Rep. David Scott at age 80 as previously reported.
- Provides additional biographical and political-career detail beyond the initial wire-style death notice (not fully accessible due to paywall/CAPTCHA).
- Associated Press/PBS report emphasizes Scott was seeking a 13th term in Congress and facing a primary challenge at the time of his death.
- Article highlights that Scott was a prominent member of the moderate Blue Dog caucus and a leading party voice on farm and food-aid policy.
- House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is quoted at greater length, praising Scott's rise from humble beginnings and his service to Georgia.
- Story notes that Scott had been largely inactive on the 2026 campaign trail but had publicly dismissed pressure to retire, saying in 2024 he was in good health and doing the people's work.
- CBS reiterates that Rep. David Scott, an 80-year-old Democrat from Georgia, has died after serving more than two decades in the House.
- House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries confirmed Scott's death to MS NOW and called him the first African American to chair the House Agriculture Committee.
- The House formally acknowledged Scott's passing on the floor and announced the whole number of the House is now 430.
- The updated partisan breakdown is now 217 Republicans, 212 Democrats and 1 independent.
- Article reiterates prior reporting that Scott was removed as top Democrat on the Agriculture Committee in 2024 amid concerns about his health, citing Politico descriptions of his declining ability to speak and focus.
- Confirms Scott was running for a 13th term in the May 19 primaries when he died.
- Clarifies he first won office in the Georgia House in 1974 and then the state Senate in 1982 before election to Congress.
- Notes that he chaired the House Agriculture Committee for the first two years of the Biden administration before becoming ranking member.
- Includes public reaction quote from Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens praising his advocacy for Georgia farmers and veterans.
- Specifies that details about cause and timing of death have not yet been released.