U.S. Rep. David Scott (D-Atlanta), the longest-serving member of Congress from the metro Atlanta area and the top Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee, has parted ways with a storied faction of the House Democratic caucus.
The Blue Dog Coalition was founded in the 1990s by a group of white Democrats from the rural south. The group is known for comprising of some of the more moderate to conservative members of the House Democratic caucus and has gotten much more diverse since it was created.
But the coalition, which at its peak comprised of roughly a quarter of the Democratic caucus, has seen a decline in membership in recent years. The biggest decline came in 2010, when half of its members either retired or lost re-election in the Tea Party wave.
The Blue Dogs suffered another big hit this month, when Scott and several other members walked out after a push to rename and rebrand the group was defeated in a secret ballot, leaving the once-powerful coalition with just 7 members — the group’s smallest roster since it was founded.
A spokesperson for Rep. Scott declined to comment. Rep. Sanford Bishop (D-Albany) is one of 7 remaining members.
At the core of some of the breakaway Blue Dogs’ demands was a rechristening as the Common Sense Coalition that, they argued, would have helped shed the group’s reputation as a socially moderate, Southern “boys’ club.” Blue Dogs have long stood for fiscal responsibility and national security, issues with broad Democratic appeal, but some members felt the name had a negative connotation that kept their colleagues from joining. A majority of other members disagreed, saying they saw no reason to toss out a longstanding legacy.
Though they are now reduced to just 7 members, the Blue Dogs could still hold some power in a narrow Republican House majority. But the diminished roster could be a testament to the increased diversity and polarization of Democrats on Capitol Hill.
There was once a time when Blue Dogs could help advance or even kill certain legislation — even if their party held large congressional majorities. But these days, Democrats are able to remain united on most legislation no matter the size of their majority.