When the top Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee, 79-year-old Rep. David Scott, didn’t immediately return to Congress after the November election because of back problems, many House Democrats turned to a colleague famous for complaining about the aging leaders of the party: Rep. Dean Phillips.
Phillips, who is leaving Congress this year after unsuccessfully challenging Joe Biden during the presidential primary, isn’t just fed up with the Democratic Party dismissing age concerns electorally; he’s also frustrated with the Democratic system in Congress that rewards years in office above anything else. And he’s not alone.
“Members of the committee have been sharing their concerns about the erosion of his health and ability to effectively lead the committee for over a year,” Phillips said of Scott in a text message to NOTUS, conveying that he’d spoken with four members of the Agriculture Committee.