Political leaders react to death of Harry Reid

The death of erstwhile U.S. Sen. Harry Reid prompted an outpouring of tributes locally and nationally precocious Tuesday afternoon.

Reid, a governmental titan and possibly the astir influential idiosyncratic to telephone the the Silver State home, died astatine property 82 aft a agelong conflict with pancreatic cancer.

Gov. Steve Sisolak said Reid spent his beingness and vocation warring for each Nevadans, ascending from humble beginnings successful Searchlight to becoming a fierce advocator for the authorities successful the nation’s capital. Reid spent years starring the Democratic Party successful the U.S. Senate.

But helium ne'er forgot who helium was oregon wherever helium came from, Sisolak said.

“To accidental Harry Reid was a elephantine doesn’t afloat encapsulate each that helium accomplished connected behalf of the authorities of Nevada and for Nevada families; determination volition ne'er beryllium different person rather similar Senator Reid,” the politician said. “To me, helium was a mentor, a begetter figure, and idiosyncratic I trusted to ever springiness it to maine straight.”

To accidental @SenatorReid was a elephantine doesn’t afloat encapsulate each that helium accomplished connected behalf of the authorities of Nevada and for Nevada families; determination volition ne'er beryllium different person rather similar Senator Reid. My afloat connection is below: pic.twitter.com/dYuy8xcxIv

— Governor Sisolak (@GovSisolak) December 29, 2021

Former President Barack Obama posted connected Twitter a missive he’d written to Reid.

“You were a large person successful the Senate, and aboriginal connected you were much generous to maine than I had immoderate close to expect,” Obama wrote. “I wouldn’t person been president had it not been for your encouragement and support, and I wouldn’t person got astir of what I got done without your accomplishment and determination.”

When Harry Reid was nearing the end, his woman Landra asked immoderate of america to stock letters that she could work to him. In lieu of a statement, here’s what I wrote to my friend: pic.twitter.com/o6Ll6rzpAX

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) December 29, 2021

U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, whom Reid backed to regenerate him successful the 2016 election, called her predecessor “one of the astir powerful, dedicated, and effectual advocates” successful Nevada’s history.

“From the infinitesimal helium woke up to the infinitesimal helium went to bed, everything helium did was motivated by his emotion for and devotion to the Silver State,” she said.

My afloat connection connected the passing of Harry Reid: pic.twitter.com/FHB7gNI1CI

— Senator Cortez Masto (@SenCortezMasto) December 29, 2021

Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman, who had known Reid since she and her husband, erstwhile Mayor Oscar Goodman, moved to Las Vegas successful 1964, said Reid was a quintessential household antheral who was generous with his time.

“Sen. Reid was ever precise committed to his governmental beliefs successful everything helium did,” she said, adding that helium “did the astir with everything that helium had the accidental to do.”

Sen. Reid was archetypal a household antheral & each clip I was with him oregon spoke to him helium asked archetypal astir our household & told maine astir his household with large pride. In each of my trips to DC, I ever was graciously welcomed into his office. He helped with everything I asked, each time.

— Carolyn G. Goodman (@mayoroflasvegas) December 29, 2021

And Clark County Commissioner Jim Gibson, said the erstwhile senator’s vigor was unmatched by anyone successful the years helium served.

“To the remainder of the country, and possibly adjacent the world, helium was the definitive typical of the authorities of Nevada,” helium said.

Clark County Commissioner Tick Segerblom, who led the palmy propulsion to rename McCarran International Airport aft Reid, said that it was important to him that Reid was capable to spot that program realized.

“The world is, helium is by acold the astir important Nevadan successful history,” Segerblom said. “His bequest successful the United States, moving with (President) Obama during those years, doing immoderate astonishing things that we were ne'er capable to bash before, including (passing) Obamacare.”

Most almighty Nevadan ever

“There has ne'er been anyone from Nevada with much powerfulness successful Washington, D.C.,” said UNLV past prof Michael Green. Although erstwhile Sens. Pat McCarran and Paul Laxalt whitethorn person been close, neither held the full party’s docket successful his hands, Green said.

In bureau and out, Reid would connection proposal to politicians section and national. He told erstwhile Senate workfellow Joe Biden successful 2020 not to clasp ample rallies during the tallness of the coronavirus pandemic, and to “let Trump look similar Trump.”

“He was a shrewd operator,” Green said.

Reid’s stature came astatine a cost, however: He made enemies on the way, including immoderate successful Nevada who resented the information that Reid had go the look of the Democrats’ Senate agenda. “This is what happens erstwhile you bash things,” helium said.

Reid was besides shaped by his matrimony to Landra, Green said. “Outside of [former Gov. Mike] O’Callaghan, the astir important idiosyncratic shaping Harry Reid was Landra,” Green said.

After Reid gave a peculiarly blimpish code denouncing amerciable immigration, Landra told him helium was incorrect and urged him to reconsider. Reid did, and aboriginal called that code the worst mistake he’d made successful his career. Later, successful 2010, he’d recognition enactment from the Latino assemblage for his re-election victory.

Jim Manley, who worked for Reid for six years erstwhile the lawmaker took the apical enactment relation successful the U.S. Senate, said Reid was astir arrogant of his enactment passing the Affordable Care Act, commonly known arsenic Obamacare.

“The thrust and tenacity helium enactment into Obamacare,” Manley recalled Tuesday, “he was highly arrogant of what helium had done.”

‘True leader’

U.S. Rep Susie Lee, D-Nev., said Nevada mislaid a existent leader.

“Simply put, nary 1 has done much for the Silver State,” she said successful a statement. “May his bequest of work beryllium an inspiration to each of america arsenic we enactment to physique a amended aboriginal for our country.”

Nevada and our state mislaid a existent person with the passing of erstwhile Majority Leader Harry Reid. He ne'er forgot wherever helium came from – helium loved Nevada fiercely, and helium devoted his beingness to making our authorities a amended place. My thoughts and prayers are with his household and loved ones.

— Rep. Susie Lee (@RepSusieLee) December 29, 2021

Former U.S. Sen. Dean Heller, who is seeking the Republican information for Nevada’s 2022 gubernatorial race, said Reid’s bequest volition beryllium agelong felt successful Nevada and beyond.

“Even though we were seldom connected the aforesaid leafage politically, Harry Reid was ever gracious, classy, and lukewarm successful our idiosyncratic interactions and I ever appreciated that astir him,” Heller said.

Legendary Las Vegas entertainer Wayne Newton said Reid was 1 of his closest friends for much than 50 years.

Newton said helium and Reid disagreed connected definite governmental issues, but it ne'er got successful the mode of their friendship.

“We ended each get together, each call, and each substance with the words ‘I emotion you my everlastingly friend,” Newton said. “Well I emotion you my everlastingly person … until we conscionable again.”

State Treasurer Zack Conine said Reid dedicated his beingness to nationalist work and was a champion for the state, moving tirelessly to enact alteration for families crossed the country.

“I wouldn’t beryllium Nevada’s treasurer without the assistance of Senator Reid,” Conine said. “That’s not a unsocial story, and determination are countless Nevadans successful nationalist work contiguous due to the fact that of the encouragement and enactment of this governmental elephantine from the tiny municipality of Searchlight.”

‘A antheral who was Nevada’

Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson said helium considered Reid a mentor and adviser.

“This is not astir politics. This is not astir partisanship. This is astir a antheral who was Nevada,” Wolfson said. “He came from the rurals and represented america truthful good for galore many years. From his aboriginal days arsenic a lawyer to his days connected the gaming committee and of people to his days arsenic a U.S. senator, helium is Nevada.”

Jaime Harrison, seat of the Democratic National Committee, lauded Reid arsenic well.

“Senator Harry Reid was a existent lion of the Senate. He was arsenic pugnacious arsenic they come. A large man, and a large leader. We’ve each heard the countless stories of however helium changed the people of history, but Senator Reid’s top spot was that helium remained humble done it each and ne'er forgot wherever helium came from. Senator Reid gave america a masterclass successful what it meant to service and combat connected behalf of the radical helium represented.”

Senator Reid gave america a masterclass successful what it meant to service and combat connected behalf of the radical helium represented.

I privation we could’ve vessel up and replicate the fight, spirit, loyalty and determination successful our beloved friend. We volition each miss Senator Harry Reid. Rest In Peace Senator.

— Jaime Harrison, DNC Chair (@harrisonjaime) December 29, 2021

Reid’s rival and predominant Senate level sparring partner, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., called him a “one-of-a-kind senator.”

“You could hardly invent a much quintessentially American communicative and took Harry’s toughness, bluntness, and tenacity to marque it happen,” McConnell said. “The quality of Harry’s and my jobs brought america into predominant and sometimes aggravated struggle implicit authorities and policy. But I ne'er doubted that Harry was ever doing what helium earnestly, profoundly felt was close for Nevada and for our country.”

And House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., with whom Reid worked connected the wellness attraction betterment law, said “America has mislaid a titan of nationalist service.”

“In the Congress, his strategical caput was legendary and unsurpassed — helium was a maestro of the legislative process during his work successful some the House and the Senate,” Pelosi said. “Indeed, Harry Reid volition beryllium remembered arsenic 1 of the astir impactful leaders of the Senate successful history, helping to steer this instauration with reverence, rule and command.”

Contact Blake Apgar astatine bapgar@reviewjournal.com oregon 702-387-5298. Follow @blakeapgar connected Twitter. Review-Journal unit writers Shea Johnson and Gary Martin and columnist John Katsilometes contributed to this report.