Rep. David Scott Dies After Final House Vote
Longtime Georgia Democrat and first Black House Agriculture chair David Scott died Wednesday at 80 while seeking a 13th term, prompting tributes and a required Georgia special election process.
CBS NewsRep. David Scott, longtime Georgia lawmaker, dead at 80
RedStateGeorgia Rep. David Scott Dead at 80, Becoming 5th Recent House Member to Die in Office
MEDIAiteGeorgia Paper Reports Congressman Who Just Died Is Seeking Reelection
CBS NewsRep. David Scott becomes 5th member of 119th Congress to die in office
Overview
Rep. David Scott, 80, died Wednesday while seeking a 13th term, his office said.
Scott cast his final House vote on Tuesday, voting "yea" on a bill for hydropower projects, according to reports.
Leaders across parties and Georgia officials issued condolences, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Speaker Mike Johnson, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and Sen. Jon Ossoff.
His death left Democrats with 212 seats and reduced Republicans to roughly 217 to 218, with one independent and five vacancies, creating a slightly wider GOP majority, officials said.
Georgia law requires the governor to declare a special election within 10 days and to hold it at least 30 days after such a declaration, and Gov. Brian Kemp was expected to call one.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources report this obituary neutrally: they stick to factual details (death announced after a House vote, confirmed by leaders from both parties), include sourced condolences, and provide career context (long tenure, first Black agriculture committee chair, Hank Aaron relation). the coverage avoids evaluative language and omits partisan interpretation.