Longtime U.S. Rep. David Scott Dies at 80

U.S. Rep. David Scott, a Georgia Democrat who served in Congress for more than two decades, died suddenly on Tuesday night at age 80, his office and colleagues confirmed Wednesday.

Scott, who represented Georgia's 13th Congressional District encompassing parts of metro Atlanta, had been seeking reelection to a 13th term in the May 19 primary. His death was announced on the House floor by Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., who presided over the chamber and noted that the total number of House members now stands at 430. The cause of death was not immediately disclosed.

A veteran lawmaker, Scott began his political career in 1974 when he was elected to the Georgia House of Representatives, serving until 1982. He then moved to the state Senate, representing the 36th District until 2003, when he won election to the U.S. House for the newly created 13th District, which includes DeKalb and parts of Gwinnett counties. Throughout his tenure, Scott was a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, the New Democrat Coalition and the moderate Blue Dog caucus.

In Congress, Scott emerged as a key figure on agriculture policy. He became the first African American to chair the House Agriculture Committee...