Dems' Silent Fear: What if Reid Loses in 2010?

Party unity expected to take a hit if majority leader is voted out in 2010

By Rob Quinn, Newser Staff

Posted Sep 30, 2009 6:24 AM CDT

(Newser) – Harry Reid hasn't kept a very high profile as Senate majority leader but the vital role he's been playing will become obvious if he is unseated in next year's elections, say Democratic insiders. Even the Nevada senator's critics admit that he's stopped liberal and moderate Democrats from feuding, and many worry that the chamber will become even more partisan if liberal Sens. Dick Durbin or Chuck Schumer, seen as the only two likely candidates, take his place.

Reid's backers say the former prizefighter has a knack for figuring out what members of the Democratic conference want. "You’ve got people who ask, ‘What does Harry actually do around here?’" one insider with ties to Reid tells Politico. "I say, ‘Just wait til he’s gone. You’ll see just what he did; how he held things together." For now, the subject of "life after Harry" isn't spoken of publicly among Senate Democrats and spokespeople for Durbin and Schumer declined to comment on possible post-Reid career moves.

[Images (3)]

[Quotes (2)]

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nev. gestures while addressing health care rally, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2009, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Harry Hamburg)

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nev. takes part in a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2009. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid discusses alternative energy at the National Clean Energy Summit in Las Vegas last month. (AP Photo/Louie Traub)

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

On the surface, it appears that all these guys have friendly relationships. But under the surface, there are people who really don’t like each other in the conference, and Harry keeps a lid on all of that.
- A Democratic insider

What it takes to be elected leader, it isn’t about the leadership skills to shepherd great legislation through. It’s about who can make the other guys happy.
- A Democratic consultant

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

To report an error on this story, notify our editors.

More Newser Stories

Senate Dems Float 5% Millionaires' Tax

Instead of the raft of tax changes President Obama proposed

(NEWSER) - Senate Democrats today proposed a 5% surtax on all income above $1 million as a way to pay for President Obama’s jobs bill—throwing out Obama’s more intricate suggestion for eliminating various tax deductions for the wealthy, oil companies, and other businesses. The surtax would hit all income, including dividends and capital gains, and would be enacted permanently, the Wall Street Journal reports. Harry Reid hopes to bring the new bill to the floor next week. More»

Harry Reid: House 'Having Trouble' on Debt Ceiling

Caucuses to meet this morning in scramble to resolve crisis

(NEWSER) - Harry Reid tossed some zingers at Republicans last night after they failed to vote on John Boehner’s debt ceiling plan. Reid adjourned the Senate just before 11pm, the Hill reports, saying, “I apologize to everyone for the late hour, but we've been waiting for the House to conduct their business and they're having trouble conducting it.” Asked by a Talking Points Memo reporter if he had expected the non-vote, he replied, “With their performance the last few days, I don’t expect anything.” More»

Planned Parenthood Fight Holding Up Budget Deal

Mountaintop mining also an issue

(NEWSER) - A battle over Planned Parenthood funding has emerged as one of the major sticking points in the stalled federal budget talks, reports the Huffington Post . House Speaker John Boehner said late last night that the party would not approve a budget if any money went to Planned Parenthood through Title X, say the sources. Ironically, all of the principal negotiators in the talks over the issue are men. Planned Parenthood's president says the cut would hurt the two million women who "come through some kind of federal program either for an annual pap or for birth control or for a breast exam or even prenatal care." More»

Harry Reid & Co. Want to Kill Checkpoint-Dodging Apps

Apple, Google urged to stop selling apps that help drivers dodge police

(NEWSER) - Want to know if there's a checkpoint ahead targeting speeders or drunk drivers? There's an app for that—many, in fact—but Harry Reid, Chuck Schumer, Frank Lautenberg, and Tom Udall say there shouldn't be. The four senators have written to Apple, Google, and BlackBerry, urging the companies to stop selling applications that they say help dangerous drivers evade police, ABC reports. More»

Government Shutdown Likely Averted, for Two Weeks

Democrats respond favorably to John Boehner's plan

(NEWSER) - Looks like a government shutdown has been avoided—for two weeks, at least. Democrats responded favorably last night to a Republican plan for a temporary, two-week extension that would allow the government to continue operating. The trade-off? It also requires a first installment of $4 billion in budget cuts to be made. For each additional week talks continue past the new deadline of March 18, another $2 billion in cuts will be required. More»

NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS

What is Newser?

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser, we choose the most thought-provoking and entertaining stories from hundreds of US and international sources and reduce them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »

Partnering with: Slate

View Newser on the mobile website

Dems' Silent Fear: What if Reid Loses in 2010?