Ike Skelton, a Democratic congressman who was ousted in the Republican sweep of 2010 after serving his Missouri district for more than 30 years, died on Monday in Arlington, Va. He was 81.
Doug Mills/The New York Times
Representative Ike Skelton in 2006. He lost his seat in 2010.
His death was confirmed by the law firm Husch Blackwell, where Mr. Skelton was a partner. He died at Virginia Hospital Center after a brief illness, according to a statement from his family.
Mr. Skelton, who was first elected to the House in 1976, was known as an expert on national defense and served as the chairman of House Armed Services Committee from 2007 until leaving office.
He was re-elected time and time again in a deeply conservative district that stretches from the Kansas City suburbs to the Ozarks, and he had a long record of supporting two local military institutions: Fort Leonard Wood and Whiteman Air Force Base, which he secured as the base for the nation's fleet of B-2 bombers.
"He led an exemplary life of honor, courage and public service," Maurice Watson, the chairman of Husch Blackwell, said Monday in a statement. "His commitment to our country, the state of Missouri and the men and women who serve our nation in the armed services was unsurpassed."
Mr. Skelton was a social conservative who supported gun rights, opposed abortion rights and voted against President Obama's health care law. Before his defeat, he had not received less than 60 percent of the vote since 1982.
But that record was not enough to overcome the national tide of Republicans elected to the House in 2010. Representative Vicky Hartzler, the Republican who beat Mr. Skelton and still holds the seat, received support from many Tea Party members and tied him to Representative Nancy Pelosi, Democrat of California, then the House speaker.
Mr. Skelton was born in Lexington, Mo., and won his first election in 1956 to become the prosecuting attorney in Lafayette County. He served in the Missouri State Senate before entering Congress.
After leaving the House, he became a partner at Husch Blackwell, working in its Missouri and Washington offices. He is survived by his wife, Patricia Martin, and three sons.
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