Speaker Don Scott was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates in 2019 and quickly rose to leadership, serving as House Democratic Leader before leading Democrats to retake the majority in 2023. In 2024, he made history as the first Black Speaker in the 406-year history of the Virginia House. In 2026, he was unanimously re-elected after leading House Democrats to a historic 64-seat majority – the largest Democratic majority in more than three decades.

As Speaker, he has focused on lowering costs, expanding access to care, and protecting Virginians’ rights. Under his leadership, Virginia enacted the first-ever Virginia MOMnibus to address the maternal health crisis, passed bipartisan legislation to strengthen rural health care, and advanced constitutional amendments to protect reproductive 

Beyond the General Assembly, Speaker Scott serves on the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee Board of Directors and is a lifelong member of the NAACP, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. He is also a partner at Breit & Biniazan law firm.

Speaker Scott was born in Houston, Texas and a proud graduate of Texas A&M University. He served his country as a Surface Warfare Officer in the United States Navy, and earned his law degree from LSU Law School. He lives in Portsmouth with his wife, Dr. Mellanda Colson Scott, and their daughter.