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Harry Mason ReidUS Senator
Date of Birth: 02.12.1939
Country:  USA |
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Biography of Harry Mason Reid
Harry Mason Reid was born on December 2, 1939 in Searchlight, Nevada. He was the son of Inez and Harry Reid, with his father working in a mine 50 miles southeast of Las Vegas. Growing up, Reid attended school in Henderson, as there was no school in Searchlight. He played American football and was involved in boxing during his high school years. It was during this time that he met his future Nevada Governor, Mike O'Callaghan, who taught at the school.
After high school, Reid attended Southern Utah University and Utah State University. He then earned a law degree from George Washington University Law School while simultaneously working in the police force. In 1959, Reid married his high school sweetheart, Landra Gould. They have five children together, a daughter and four sons. Reid and his wife belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as the Mormon Church, which they have been a part of since college, although her parents were Jewish immigrants.
Reid explains his affiliation with the Democratic Party by stating that Democrats prioritize helping people, while he believes Republicans protect the interests of big business owners.
Early Political Career
Returning to Nevada, Reid served as the city attorney for Henderson from 1964 to 1966. In 1968, he was elected to the Nevada Assembly, the lower house of the state legislature. At the age of 30, Reid became Mike O'Callaghan's running mate in the gubernatorial election, and after their victory, he served as the Lieutenant Governor of Nevada from 1971 to 1975. In 1975, Reid ran for mayor of Las Vegas but was unsuccessful. From 1977 to 1981, Reid served as the chairman of the Nevada Gaming Commission, a position that required courage and integrity. He faced death threats, attempted bribery, and even had a bomb attached to one of his cars, discovered by his wife in 1981.
From 1983 to 1987, Reid served in the United States House of Representatives, representing Nevada's 1st congressional district. In 1986, he won the Democratic primary and defeated former Democrat-turned-Republican Congressman Jim Santini in the general election. His reelection in 1992 was relatively easy, but in 1998, during the height of Republican popularity in Nevada, Reid narrowly secured the majority of votes needed for reelection. In 2004, Reid successfully ran for reelection, receiving 61% of the votes.
Senate Career
In January 2007, Reid became the leader of the Democratic majority in the Senate, and prior to that, he served as the Senate minority leader from 2005 until the Democrats gained control of the Senate in the 2006 midterm elections. Reid has been reelected to the Senate multiple times and is currently serving his fifth term.
As a senator, Reid worked with Hillary Clinton on a bill aimed at preventing abortions by providing women with greater access to contraception, although the bill faced opposition from Republicans. He has also prioritized immigration reform. Reid's confrontations with Frank Rosenthal, who led the Las Vegas gambling business, were portrayed in the 1995 film 'Casino.' Five years later, Reid played himself in the film 'Traffic.'
In 2007, Reid appeared in the documentary film 'Sand and Sorrow' about the genocide in Sudan, alongside Senators Sam Brownback and Barack Obama. He was also inducted into the Gaming Hall of Fame in 2001 for his contributions to the gambling industry.
However, since 2007, Reid's popularity has gradually declined, partly due to his perceived lack of effort in ending the American military presence in Iraq, as well as his stance against same-sex marriage. Despite these challenges, Reid's political career has left a lasting impact on Nevada and the United States as a whole.
