David Scott Bio
David Albert Scott (born June 27, 1945) is an American politician and businessman who has served as the U.S. representative for Georgia’s 13th congressional district since 2003. A Democrat, Scott represents a district that includes all of Rockdale County and portions of Clayton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Henry, and Newton counties. He is also a small-business owner who founded an advertising firm in the Atlanta area.
Prior to his time in Congress, Scott served in both chambers of the Georgia Legislature and built a career in business. In 2023, he became the ranking member of the House Agriculture Committee, a position reflecting his long-standing focus on rural and agricultural issues. He is the dean of the Georgia congressional delegation and one of the senior voices in the House Democratic caucus.
Early Life and Background
David Albert Scott was born on June 27, 1945, in Aynor, South Carolina. He grew up in the rural South during the era of segregation, an experience that shaped his early awareness of civic life and public service. As a young man, he moved to Florida, where he attended high school in Daytona Beach.
Scott went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in finance from Florida A&M University, a historically Black college in Tallahassee. He later received a Master of Business Administration from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, one of the most respected graduate business programs in the country. He is also a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, a traditionally African American Greek-letter organization with a long history of public service.
Path to US Politics
Scott’s entry into public life began at the state level in Georgia, where he served in the Georgia House of Representatives from 1974 to 1982. During those eight years, he built a reputation as a careful legislator focused on economic development and constituent service in the rapidly growing Atlanta region.
In 1982, Scott moved to the Georgia State Senate, where he served for two decades until 2002. His long tenure in the state legislature gave him deep policy experience and strong ties across the metropolitan Atlanta area. While building his political career, he also founded Dayn-Mark Advertising in 1978, an Atlanta-area firm that specialized in billboards and other forms of advertising. The business was named after his two daughters, Dayna and Marcye, and is now run by his wife, Alfredia.
David Scott Career
Early Career (1974–2002)
Scott’s political career began in 1974 when he won a seat in the Georgia House of Representatives. He served eight years in the lower chamber before moving to the Georgia State Senate in 1982. His transition from the House to the Senate marked an important step up in influence within state government.
During his twenty years in the state Senate, Scott became a familiar figure in Georgia politics and a leading voice for the Atlanta suburbs. While serving in the legislature, he continued to run his advertising business, balancing the demands of public office with private enterprise. By the time he left the state Senate in 2002, he had nearly three decades of legislative experience.
U.S. House of Representatives Breakthrough (2002–Present)
When Georgia picked up an additional congressional district after the 2000 census, Scott entered a five-way Democratic primary for the new seat and won with 53.8 percent of the vote. In the 2002 general election, he defeated Republican Clay Cox with about 59 percent of the vote, launching his career in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Scott has been repeatedly reelected and has run unopposed in 2004, 2014, and 2016. During his first two terms, his district wound through parts of nine counties; later redistricting cycles made it more compact, with its population centered in Clayton, Douglas, and Fulton counties. In 2023, he became the ranking member of the House Agriculture Committee, a position from which he influenced federal farm and nutrition policy. On March 2, 2026, Scott qualified to run for reelection in the 2026 election cycle.
Committee Assignments Era
Scott has spent much of his House career on committees tied to agriculture, banking, and financial services. He has used these posts to advocate for rural communities, small farmers, and consumers in the financial system. His work on the House Agriculture Committee has been a defining feature of his later career.
As ranking member of the Agriculture Committee beginning in 2023, Scott played a central role in shaping the Democratic response to farm bill debates and rural-development programs. He has also weighed in on broader economic issues, including housing policy, trade, and financial regulation. His committee work has helped define his brand as a pragmatic Democrat focused on the economic concerns of his district and the country.
Notable Events and Milestones
In 2007, the government watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington named Scott one of the 25 most corrupt members of Congress, a designation his office disputed. He was also one of only five House Democrats who voted in 2018 to allow continued U.S. arms sales to Saudi Arabia and to support the Saudi-led intervention in Yemen, a vote that drew attention from both parties. In 2009, he voted for the Affordable Care Act and later reported receiving death threats over his support for the law, with a swastika spray-painted on a sign outside his district office.
David Scott Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Scott married Alfredia Aaron, the sister of Baseball Hall of Fame member Hank Aaron, in 1969. Alfredia Scott has played an active role in the family business and has also assisted in her husband’s campaigns over the years. The couple’s ties to one of America’s most iconic baseball families have been a notable part of Scott’s public story.
David and Alfredia Scott have two daughters, Dayna and Marcye, whose names inspired the family advertising firm Dayn-Mark Advertising. The couple also has a grandson, Kimani Vidal, who plays running back for the Los Angeles Chargers in the National Football League.