Harry Reid
Harry Mason Reid (December 2, 1939 – December 28, 2021) was an American politician. He was the United States senator from Nevada from 1987 to 2017. He was a member of the United States Democratic Party, and was their leader in the Senate. Earlier, Reid was a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1981 until 1987 and Lieutenant Governor of Nevada between 1971 until 1975.
Harry Reid | |
|---|---|
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| United States Senator from Nevada | |
| In office January 3, 1987 – January 3, 2017 | |
| Preceded by | Paul Laxalt |
| Succeeded by | Catherine Cortez Masto |
| Senate Minority Leader | |
| In office January 3, 2015 – January 3, 2017 | |
| Deputy | Dick Durbin |
| Preceded by | Mitch McConnell |
| Succeeded by | Chuck Schumer |
| In office January 3, 2005 – January 3, 2007 | |
| Deputy | Dick Durbin |
| Preceded by | Tom Daschle |
| Succeeded by | Mitch McConnell |
| Senate Majority Leader | |
| In office January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2015 | |
| Deputy | Dick Durbin |
| Preceded by | Bill Frist |
| Succeeded by | Mitch McConnell |
| Senate Minority Whip | |
| In office January 3, 2003 – January 3, 2005 | |
| Leader | Tom Daschle |
| Preceded by | Don Nickles |
| Succeeded by | Dick Durbin |
| In office January 20, 2001 – June 6, 2001 | |
| Leader | Tom Daschle |
| Preceded by | Don Nickles |
| Succeeded by | Don Nickles |
| In office January 3, 1999 – January 3, 2001 | |
| Leader | Tom Daschle |
| Preceded by | Wendell Ford |
| Succeeded by | Don Nickles |
| Senate Majority Whip | |
| In office June 6, 2001 – January 3, 2003 | |
| Leader | Tom Daschle |
| Preceded by | Don Nickles |
| Succeeded by | Mitch McConnell |
| In office January 3, 2001 – January 20, 2001 | |
| Leader | Tom Daschle |
| Preceded by | Don Nickles |
| Succeeded by | Don Nickles |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Nevada's 1st district | |
| In office January 3, 1983 – January 3, 1987 | |
| Preceded by | James Santini (At-large) |
| Succeeded by | James Bilbray |
| 25th Lieutenant Governor of Nevada | |
| In office January 4, 1971 – January 1975 | |
| Governor | Mike O'Callaghan |
| Preceded by | Edward Fike |
| Succeeded by | Robert Rose |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Harry Mason Reid December 2, 1939 Searchlight, Nevada, U.S. |
| Died | December 28, 2021 (aged 82) Henderson, Nevada, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Landra Gould (1959–2021; his death) |
| Children | Lana Rory Leif Josh Key |
| Alma mater | Southern Utah University Utah State University, Logan George Washington University |
| Signature |  |
Early life
Reid was born on December 2, 1939 in Searchlight, Nevada.[1] He studied at Southern Utah University, at Utah State University, and at George Washington University.
Career
He returned to Nevada after law school and served as Henderson city attorney before being elected to the Nevada Assembly in 1968. In 1970, at age 30, Reid was chosen by O'Callaghan as his running mate for Lieutenant Governor of Nevada. Reid and his mentor O'Callaghan won the race and Reid served as lieutenant governor from 1971 until 1974. Reid became the youngest lieutenant governor in Nevada's history.[2] When he ran for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Alan Bible. He lost by fewer than 600 votes to former Governor Paul Laxalt. In 1975, Reid ran for Mayor of Las Vegas and lost to Bill Briare.[3]
Representative
Nevada had only a single at-large member in the United States House of Representatives, but population growth in the 1970s caused the state to pick up a second district. Reid won the Democratic nomination for the Nevada's 1st congressional district, based in Las Vegas, in 1982, and easily won the general election. He served two terms in the House, from 1983 to 1987.
Senator
In 1986, Reid won the Democratic nomination for the seat of retiring two-term current Republican Senator Paul Laxalt. He defeated former at-large Congressman Jim Santini, a Democrat who had turned Republican, in the November election. He coasted to reelection in 1992. However, he barely defeated 1st District Congressman John Ensign in 1998 in the midst of a statewide Republican sweep.
In 2004, Reid won reelection with 61 percent of the vote, gaining the endorsement of several Republicans.
Ensign was elected to Nevada's other Senate seat in 2000. He and Reid have a very good relationship, despite their bruising contest in 1998. The two frequently worked together on Nevada issues until Ensign was forced to resign his Senate seat.[4]
While Reid won the Democratic nomination with 75% of the vote in the June 8 primary, he faced a competitive general election for the 2010 Senate race in Nevada. Reid engaged in a $1 million media campaign to "reintroduce himself" to Nevada's voters.[5] He defeated Republican challenger Sharron Angle in the general election.
In 2015, Reid announced his retirement from the senate. In November 2016, Democrat Catherine Cortez Masto, who he supported to replace him, won the election.
Personal life
He was married to Landra Gould. They had 5 children.
In May 2018, Reid had surgery for pancreatic cancer at Johns Hopkins Cancer Center after a tumor was found in his pancreas during a routine screening.[6] In a January 2019 interview with The New York Times, it was revealed that Reid was confined to a desk at his home and was unable to move without the aid of a walker.[7]
Reid died of pancreatic cancer at his home in Henderson, Nevada on December 28, 2021, at the age of 82.[8][9]
Harry Reid Media
Reid during the 107th Congress in 2002
June 24, 2009, letter from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to Deputy Secretary of Defense William Lynn regarding the Advanced Aerospace Threat and Identification Program (AATIP)
President Barack Obama shakes hands with Reid after signing the Omnibus Public Lands Management Act of 2009 on March 30, 2009.
Reid stands near President Barack Obama as his signs the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell
Reid speaking at the State Children's Health Insurance Program Art Exhibit press conference
Reid speaks during the third night of the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado
Harry Reid (far left) and LDS leaders Thomas S. Monson and Dallin H. Oaks (center and far right) presenting family history to U.S. President Barack Obama.
References
- ↑ Smith, Christopher (June 9, 2001). Senate's New Majority Whip: Senator Harry Reid of Nevada Archived 2013-01-24 at the Wayback Machine. Salt Lake Tribune.
- ↑ "Harry Reid Fast Facts". CNN.com. 22 March 2013. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
- ↑ "Dustbusters, sex appeal and Sen. Frankie Sue". Retrieved July 14, 2009.
- ↑ "Biography". Reid.senate.gov. February 13, 2009. Archived from the original on March 16, 2008. Retrieved August 29, 2010.
- ↑ Raju, Manu. "The Nevada plan: Reintroduce Reid". POLITICO.
- ↑ "Former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has surgery for pancreatic cancer". CNN. May 14, 2018.
- ↑ Harry Reid Has a Few Words for Washington. January 2, 2019. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/02/magazine/harry-reid-senate-cancer-trump.html. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
- ↑ Messerly, Megan (December 28, 2021). "Harry Reid, former Senate majority leader and Democratic kingmaker, dies at 82". The Nevada Independent. Archived from the original on December 29, 2021. Retrieved December 29, 2021.
- ↑ Martin, Jonathan (December 28, 2021). "Harry M. Reid, a Power in the Senate, Dies at 82". The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/28/obituaries/harry-reid-dead.html. Retrieved December 28, 2021.
Other websites
Media related to Harry Reid at Wikimedia Commons
Template:US Senate Minority Whips
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