Don Scott Sworn in as First Black Speaker of Virginia House of Delegates

Scott, a former federal prison inmate, promises to work on key issues including abortion rights, gay marriage, and raising the minimum wage.

Delegate Don Scott has been sworn in as the first Black speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates, marking a historic moment in the 405-year history of the chamber.
Scott, who represents a district that includes Portsmouth, had previously served as the minority leader before Democrats took control of the chamber in last year's election.
Scott's path to the position was an unusual one. After graduating from LSU Law School and serving in the Navy, he was convicted of federal drug charges and served seven years in prison. After prison, he moved to Virginia and rose up the ranks of corporate America before taking the bar exam.
Scott has promised to work on protecting abortion rights, gay marriage, raising the minimum wage and restoring voting rights for felons who have fulfilled their penalties.
Scott must maneuver his slim majority in the House amid divided government, after Democrats defied expectations in November by flipping the House of Delegates and holding on to control of the Senate in November, when the GOP governor had hoped to secure a Republican trifecta.