Harry Reid was an American lawyer and politician who served as a United States senator from Nevada from 1987 to 2017 and was Nevada's longest-serving senator at the time of his retirement. He led the Senate Democratic Caucus from 2005 to 2017 and was the Senate Majority Leader from 2007 to 2015. A lawyer from Henderson, he started his political career as a member of the Nevada Assembly from the 4th district in 1969 before being elected the 25th Lieutenant Governor of Nevada under governor, and his former teacher, Mike O'Callaghan in 1970. Following unsuccessful campaigns for the United States Senate and mayor of Las Vegas, he served as chairman of the Nevada Gaming Commission from 1977 to 1981. He subsequently represented Nevada's 1st district in the United States House of Representatives from 1983 to 1987 before being elected to the United States Senate. He has also served as Senate Democratic whip and Senate Minority Leader. In 2001, he was instrumental in persuading Jim Jeffords, a Republican senator from Vermont, to become an independent and vote with the Democrats, giving them majority.
