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Reid’s Retirement Shakes Up Senate Battle

March 28, 2015 at 5:31 am EDT By Taegan Goddard 7 Comments

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid’s (D-NV) retirement “is triggering a free-for-all for his seat — with big implications for control of the Senate in 2016,” The Hill reports.

“Senate Republicans see Nevada as their best chance at a pickup this election cycle, and whether Democrats can hold Reid’s seat in the swing state will go a long way in determining which party controls the Senate after next cycle.”

The Las Vegas Sun notes Reid “came right out with a favorite: Catherine Cortez Masto, former Nevada attorney general and executive vice chancellor of the Nevada System of Higher Education.”

Reid Will Not Run for Re-Election

March 27, 2015 at 7:49 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard 14 Comments

“In a surprise announcement this morning, Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) said he won’t be running for what would be his sixth term in the United States Senate,” the Las Vegas Sun reports.

“In a video to supporters, the Nevada Democrat and Senate minority leader listed several reasons for his decision to end his three-decade career in Congress.”

First Read: “And this has two immediate consequences: One, it most likely hands the Democratic reins over to heir-apparent Chuck Schumer. And two, it creates what could be one of the most competitive Senate contests in the country. Given that it’s a presidential year, that probably helps the Democrats, slightly.”

Bipartisan Medicare Deal Hits Snag in Senate

March 25, 2015 at 4:18 am EDT By Taegan Goddard 14 Comments

The New York Times reports a bipartisan Medicare deal “cobbled together” by none other than House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) and Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), “who rarely agree on anything,” has hit a surprising impediment: Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV).

Senate Democrats object “to abortion restrictions in the bill and limits to an extension of a health insurance program for children. They have begun to undermine what was poised to be a sweeping bipartisan solution to several policy problems that have long vexed Congress.”

“It is a role in which Mr. Reid is becoming increasingly comfortable as he exploits his leverage in the minority to thwart his political opponents, even if that means an unusual split with Ms. Pelosi.”

One More Bonus Quote of the Day

March 9, 2015 at 5:11 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard 114 Comments

“Republicans are undermining our commander in chief while empowering the ayatollahs.”

— Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV), quoted by The Hill, on the letter 47 GOP senators wrote to the Iranian leadership.

Schumer is Reid’s Most Frequent Caller

March 6, 2015 at 6:02 am EST By Taegan Goddard 4 Comments

Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) told the Wall Street Journal that he will take a call from any senator at any time and the most frequent caller is Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), “who has memorized several of Mr. Reid’s phone numbers.”

Said Reid: “He knows all the tricks. If my wife takes the phone of the hook he just calls on the other line. But if that didn’t work he’d call my cellphone.”

Reid Is Still Controlling the Agenda

February 27, 2015 at 7:29 am EST By Taegan Goddard 19 Comments

Sen. Harry Reid’s (D-NV) “uncompromising posture during the flap over homeland security funding and his emerging plans for an upcoming fight over immigration make clear he’s doing little to change the hardball style that defined his tenure as majority leader. This despite losing control of the chamber after last fall’s Democratic debacle and tamping down a coup among centrists seeking his ouster,” Politico reports.

“The 75-year-old Reid, who may seek reelection next year and is in his second stint as minority leader, is betting that Republicans are so nervous about being blamed for a crisis in Washington — as they have been repeatedly before — that they will capitulate again. Naturally, his unyielding stance has maddened Republicans.”

Reid Won’t Move on Funding Bill Until Boehner Caves

February 24, 2015 at 3:25 pm EST By Taegan Goddard 64 Comments

“In an extraordinary sequence, Mitch McConnell offered Democrats Tuesday exactly what they have been asking for — ‘clean’ full-year funding for the Department of Homeland Security. And Harry Reid said no — or at least, not yet,” Roll Call reports.

“Majority Leader McConnell’s offer of passing a clean full-year Homeland Security bill through the Senate shorn of immigration provisions — which he said could happen very quickly with Democratic cooperation — was put on hold by Minority Leader Reid, who told reporters he was waiting to hear Speaker John A. Boehner agree to pass it through the House first.”

Said Reid: “We have to make sure that we get a bill to the president. Unless Boehner’s in on the deal, it won’t happen.”

Reid Makes It Clear He’s Running Again

February 11, 2015 at 8:59 am EST By Taegan Goddard 7 Comments

Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) “summoned dozens of staffers to the Senate’s Mansfield Room Tuesday and delivered a clear message: He’s running for reelection next year,” Politico reports.

“The comments are in part aimed at putting to rest growing speculation inside the Senate that the 75-year-old Nevada Democrat — badly hurt from a painful injury to his right eye — would call it quits after nearly three decades in the chamber. The Senate minority leader faces what could be a difficult reelection race next year, plus his would-be successors are ready to run the Democratic Caucus the moment he calls it quits.”

GOP Effort to Oust Reid Rides on Sandoval Decision

February 4, 2015 at 7:00 am EST By Taegan Goddard 18 Comments

“Senate Republicans are unlikely to land their most formidable recruit to take down Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), The Hill reports.

“With Gov. Brian Sandoval (R) delaying any decision until summer, his indecision is costing Republicans precious time in their quest to oust the party’s biggest target in 2016. The popular governor is at the top of wish lists for Nevada and Washington Republicans, but he has suggested he won’t run. Still, Sandoval is unlikely to make a final announcement until after the state’s legislative session concludes.”

Harry Reid is a Political Survivor

January 15, 2015 at 10:26 am EST By Taegan Goddard 10 Comments

Geoffrey Skelley: “Reid has won five straight elections for Senate, starting in 1986. His average share of the vote in those contests was 52.1%. If we compare Reid to other senators who won at least five consecutive contests (including special elections), his mark is the lowest average percentage won by any qualifying senator. Reid also had the lowest median percentage (50.3%).”

“Remarkably, Reid has only won more than 51.0% of the vote once, cruising to victory with 61.1% in 2004. Otherwise, his percentages have been very low for a winner — 50.0% in 1986, 51.0% in 1992, 47.9% in 1998, and 50.3% in 2010.”

Reid Ramps Up Fundraising

January 11, 2015 at 10:22 am EST By Taegan Goddard 7 Comments

Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) “is turning on his fundraising machine as he prepares to run — possibly — for a sixth term in the Senate,” Politico reports.

“While rumors have circulated for months that the Nevada Democrat may not run for reelection next year, the top Republican 2016 target has scheduled a handful of fundraising events in an effort to put up a big first-quarter cash haul.”

Reid Names New Chief of Staff

January 7, 2015 at 12:55 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) “plans to shake up his senior staff with the selection of the chamber’s former top law enforcement official to serve as his new chief aide,” Politico reports.

“Reid, a Nevada Democrat facing reelection in 2016, will name Drew Willison, the Senate’s former sergeant-at-arms, to replace David Krone, who has led the office since the aftermath of the 2010 elections. Krone’s departure in the new Congress has been expected in Senate circles for months, but his replacement has been a closely held secret. Krone will still have a major role in Reid’s reelection campaign and continue to serve as a top political adviser, sources said.”

Reid Blames Obamacare Rollout for Democratic Losses

December 10, 2014 at 6:58 am EST By Taegan Goddard 28 Comments

Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) told Politico that it was the bungled website and the rollout of the Affordable Care Act last fall that cost Democrats the majority and gave Republicans “ammunition to go after all of my candidates” — nothing else.

Said Reid: “We never recovered from the Obamacare rollout. I’m not going to beat up on Obama. The rollout didn’t go well. We never recovered from that.”

Asked about the lessons he drew from the losses, Reid paused for a second and said: “Have a better rollout of Obamacare.”

Reid Working on Deal to Confirm Obama Appointees

December 8, 2014 at 8:13 pm EST By Taegan Goddard 2 Comments

Washington Post: “We’re hearing that outgoing Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), despite threats to keep the Senate in session next week, is working to wrap things up this week with a small number of priority confirmation votes. The D’s are looking to hammer out a deal with Republicans, we’re told, that would include up to nine of the remaining nominees for district court judgeships and a handful of executive branch nominees.”

Why Did the White House Kill Harry Reid’s Tax Deal?

December 2, 2014 at 9:39 am EST By Taegan Goddard 44 Comments

“The White House worked closely with liberal House Democrats last week to torpedo a tax deal that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) was negotiating with Republicans,” The Hill reports.

“The unusual move to kill a Reid-backed proposal has raised suspicions among Senate negotiators about the White House’s motivations. They believe President Obama’s team is eyeing a broad corporate tax reform deal in 2015, when Republicans will control the Senate and the House.”

Reid Threatens to Keep Senate in Session

December 1, 2014 at 5:12 pm EST By Taegan Goddard 9 Comments

Politico reports that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) “is using his final weeks as majority leader to threaten one of lawmakers’ most valuable assets: Recess.”

“Facing down a daunting list of tasks, ranging from funding the government past Dec. 11 to approving a number of new ambassadors, and less than two weeks to do it before Congress’s target adjournment at the end of next week, the Nevada Democrat said that the lame duck Congress’s work may require senators to stay in Washington for an extra week — and may even threaten Christmas.”

Reid Staffer Irks White House

November 21, 2014 at 11:58 am EST By Taegan Goddard 3 Comments

The New York Times looks at the acrimonious relationship between White House staff and those who work for Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV), especially chief of staff David Krone.

“Administration and congressional officials have argued that the transgressions of Mr. Krone — publicly challenging the president, betraying the Oval Office code of silence and acting more like a senator than a staff member to one — have damaged Democratic unity at a time when the party can least afford it, as its numbers in Congress dwindle and the president sorely needs discipline in his ranks to advance what is left of his agenda. It all exploded this month when Mr. Krone, 48, astonished even some veteran Capitol Hill staff members by speaking on the record in a highly critical way about private conversations with Mr. Obama.”

[speech_bubble type=”std” subtype=”a” icon=”pwdome.jpg” name=””]It’s particularly interesting to learn that Krone listens in on private phone conversations Reid has with Obama. [/speech_bubble]

At Least Six Democrats Voted Against Reid

November 14, 2014 at 7:06 am EST By Taegan Goddard 2 Comments

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) “faced the first internal opposition to his grip on power Thursday as at least six Democrats rejected his bid for another leadership term during an emotional meeting following last week’s drubbing in the midterm elections,” the Washington Post reports.

“Four straight election victories had produced unwavering support and increasing power for Reid in the Democratic caucus, but the repudiation on Nov. 4 tested his clout.”

Politico: How Reid kept his job