Fil-Am wins fresh term in U.S. legislature

Filipino-American Democratic Rep. Robert “Bobby” Scott has won reelection to represent Virginia’s 3rd Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives, securing another two-year term.

Scott, first elected in November 1992 and beginning to represent the district in 1993, will serve his 18th consecutive term after his victory in the November 3 midterm elections.

The longtime lawmaker defeated Republican challenger Edwin Rivera Jr. in a race that also included independent candidates Makiba Gaines and Stephen Woll.

Scott is recognized as the first voting member of the US Congress with Filipino ancestry. His maternal grandfather immigrated from the Philippines during the Spanish-American War.

Focus on education

Before entering Congress, Scott served 15 years in the Virginia General Assembly, where he worked on legislation involving employment, health care, education, crime prevention and consumer protection.

He currently serves as the ranking member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, where he has focused on education policy and workers’ rights.

His reelection extends a congressional career spanning more than three decades and maintains his place as a prominent Filipino-American figure in US politics.