Harry Reid — Wikipedia (biographical reference, excerpt)
URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Reid Extraction: requests+readability, 2026-05-28 (excerpt — full bio is non-UFO) Use: spine for reid-aatip-architect
American politician (1939–2021)
Harry Reid
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Official portrait, 2009
In office
January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2015
Whip| Dick Durbin
Preceded by| Bill Frist
Succeeded by| Mitch McConnell
In office
January 3, 2015 – January 3, 2017
Whip| Dick Durbin
Preceded by| Mitch McConnell
Succeeded by| Chuck Schumer
In office
January 3, 2005 – January 3, 2007
Whip| Dick Durbin
Preceded by| Tom Daschle
Succeeded by| Mitch McConnell
In office
January 3, 2005 – January 3, 2017
Preceded by| Tom Daschle
Succeeded by| Chuck Schumer
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
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
In office
January 3, 1987 – January 3, 2017
Preceded by| Paul Laxalt
Succeeded by| Catherine Cortez Masto
In office
January 3, 1983 – January 3, 1987
Preceded by| James Santini (at-large)
Succeeded by| James Bilbray
In office
March 27, 1977 – January 5, 1981
Appointed by| Mike O’Callaghan
Preceded by| Peter Echeverria
Succeeded by| Carl Dodge
In office
January 4, 1971 – January 5, 1975
Governor| Mike O’Callaghan
Preceded by| Edward Fike
Succeeded by| Robert Rose
In office
January 6, 1969 – January 4, 1971
Preceded by| Edward Fike
Succeeded by| Robert Rose
Born| Harry Mason Reid Jr.
(1939-12-02)December 2, 1939
Died| December 28, 2021(2021-12-28) (aged 82)
Party| Democratic
Spouse|
Children| 5, including Rory
Education|
Signature| 
Website| Senate website (archived)
Reid honors retiring Senator Arlen Specter.Recorded December 15, 2010
Harry Mason Reid Jr. (; December 2, 1939 – December 28, 2021) was an American lawyer and politician who served as a United States senator from Nevada from 1987 to 2017. He led the Senate Democratic Caucus from 2005 to 2017 and was the Senate majority leader from 2007 to 2015.
After earning an undergraduate degree from Utah State University and a Juris Doctor degree from George Washington University, Reid began his public career as the city attorney for Henderson, Nevada, before being elected to the Nevada Assembly in 1968. Gubernatorial candidate Mike O’Callaghan, Reid’s former boxing coach, chose Reid as his running mate in 1970; following their victory Reid served as the 25th lieutenant governor of Nevada from 1971 to 1975. After being defeated in races for the United States Senate and mayor of Las Vegas, Reid served as chairman of the Nevada Gaming Commission from 1977 to 1981. From 1983 to 1987, Reid represented Nevada’s 1st district in the United States House of Representatives.
Reid was elected to the United States Senate in 1986 and served in the Senate from 1987 to 2017. He served as the Senate Democratic whip from 1999 to 2005 before succeeding Tom Daschle as Senate Minority Leader. The Democrats won control of the Senate after the [2006 United States Senate elections](/wiki/2006_United_States_Senat