U.S. Rep. David Scott has been pushed from his perch as the top Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee. He’s faced intense criticism urging him to step aside. And now he’s drawn one of the most formidable primary opponents in his long political career.
Scott has weathered plenty of other challenges over his 12-term career in the U.S. House. But the Atlanta Democrat, who turns 80 in June, is facing fresh pushback as he navigates President Donald Trump’s return to power and mounting questions over his own political future.
On Thursday, the Democrat held a rare public event in his district that featured a panel of health experts at a local community center in Gwinnett County, part of his deep-blue district that spans parts of east metro Atlanta. Scott didn’t take questions from the media but told voters upset at Trump’s executive orders that Democrats must engage directly with the president.
“We need to talk to him. And we need to talk to those who are marching out with his orders,” he said. “He’s the man there, and we’ve got to address and meet with him.”
The district event was planned before Democratic state Sen. Emanuel Jones, a 20-year veteran of the state Legislature, announced a 2026 campaign for the seat — regardless of whether Scott seeks a 13th term. Scott’s aides have said he intends to run again.
Ousting Scott won’t be easy. The former state legislator was first elected to the U.S. House in 2002 and has fended off primary challengers for decades.
When Democrats held the U.S. House in 2020, Scott made history as the first Black lawmaker to chair the powerful Agriculture Committee. But his leadership soon drew sharp criticism, with some Democrats calling for a younger, more engaged chair.
Scott brushed off concerns about his health as “foolishness.” But in December, Scott was forced out of a heated race to retain his coveted committee seat after facing stiff internal opposition from fellow Democrats.
Most of his past challengers have avoided making his age or health a central issue, instead arguing the district needs a more visible and vocal advocate in Washington. But Scott’s deep ties to the district, incumbency and name recognition have helped him win comfortably — often without mounting a full-scale campaign.
He secured two-thirds of the vote in 2022 against three Democratic opponents. And last year, he prevailed in a seven-candidate field that included Marcus Flowers, the Democrat who raised more than $16 million in a failed 2022 bid to unseat U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene.
Credit: TNS
Credit: TNS
But Jones is a different sort of threat. The state senator, a prominent DeKalb-based businessman, has already leaned into Scott’s health concerns and pitched himself as a more forceful voice for the district.
“There are whispers — and those whispers have grown louder — that it may be time for new leadership to come to the 13th District,” said Jones, who argued that voters need a “louder voice” in Washington to push back against MAGA policies.
“I don’t have any constraints. I’ve always been known to speak out and speak up in the General Assembly,” Jones said. “And I intend to do that up in DC as well.”
Party insiders say Jones could soon be joined by other prominent Democrats who demand more outspoken opposition to Trump’s agenda.
Veteran political strategist Fred Hicks pointed out that Democrats recently pressured President Joe Biden to drop out of the race over concerns about his mental and physical fitness — a turning point that could have implications for Scott’s reelection bid.
“Democrats made a bold statement about the age of their leaders, regardless of policy achievements, when they replaced a sitting president,” he said.
“Now, Scott will have to do something he hasn’t in years to win another term — be visible and present in the district and in the media.”
At the Centerville Community Center, Scott spoke several times to dozens of attendees, at one point touting a bipartisanship agricultural scholarship program he helped pass during Trump’s first term.
“That’s how I’m fighting for you. That’s the way you get things done. We can’t do it by ourselves. You’ve got to use bipartisanship to get it done.”
However, at moments Scott stumbled over words, and in one instance mistakenly said it was midnight rather than noon when the event ended.
Jean-Pierre Ramel, 72, came looking for answers about what Scott was delivering for the district. He left disappointed — and hopeful a younger Democrat takes Scott’s seat.
Not everyone saw it that way. Yvonne Hunt, 63, argued Scott’s decades of experience in both state and federal office still matter — maybe now more than ever.
“You shouldn’t count someone out just because of their age,” Hunt said. “As long as he’s physically able and he’s up to the task, why can’t he do the job?”
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