Signs of trouble back home for Harry Reid

Some indications are that Sen. Harry Reid, whom we see so much on national TV criticizing pretty much everything he's asked about and even more, is in some growing political difficulties back home in Nevada.

The job of Democratic Senate majority leader can be a dangerous one, as a major spokesman for the party. Former Sen. Tom Daschle lost a reelection bid after his tour as majority leader as the folks in South Dakota apparently came to think he wasn't paying enough attention to his home state.

Reid has never been the most popular politician in Nevada. The last time he had a serious Republican opponent -- John Ensign in 1998 -- the results were very close in Reid's favor. Two recent newspaper polls found that 49% and 51% of voters disapprove of Reid's job performance, while only 39% and 32% gave him a favorable rating.

That almost invites a strong Republican challenger should Reid decide to run again in 2010. Reid told the Roll Call newspaper on a subscription website that he regretted becoming the face of his party in bitter partisan battles with President Bush. “It's hard for the people of the state of Nevada to accept me as a partisan person.... Reid versus Bush, that’s what my life is all about” right now, said Reid, the highest-elected Mormon in the nation's history.

He predicted he would be in fine shape by 2010.

"As majority leader," the Las Vegas Review Journal recently editorialized, "he has exhibited a degree of liberal partisanship that is clearly not going over well with many Nevada voters." And the newspaper did not see that turning around anytime soon "as long as Sen. Reid insists on being a mouthpiece for his party's hyperleftist wing."

-- Andrew Malcolm

Comments

[Keith]

Maybe it's because he's an idiot, a liar and a panderer. Matybe it's because he and Pelosi talked a good game about changing this country's direction, but it was all just a a bunch of words, nothing more. 60+ attempts at getting out of Iraq resulted in NOTHING. Why? Because they weren't really serious about it

[Frank]

How come Reid doesn't have to give a speech explaining why his Mormonism won't impact his political decisions? Guess that's only for Republican Mormons. Come to think of it, I don't even know what religion any of the Democrat candidates are.

[Dryden01]

My perception of Reid is that he is the quarrelsome and argumentative sort of person the editor in Main Street spoke of with disdain. The question arises as to whether or not if he spent as much time attacking the Jihadists as he does President Bush, the war would have been won a long time ago. He comes across in the news as an angry little troublemaker and is probably the greatest contributor to the record low approval rating that congress presently finds itself with.

George Bush seems to have a great more purpose and principle and stands up to the abuse of Reid and company. I am not a state resident but will gladly send a campaign contribution to anyone the republicans run against this miserable old pork barreller.

[Jay Salby]

Why wait for 2010? Recall Harry"the war is lost" Reid NOW!

[Barbara]

Mr. Reid says we lost the war...Every time President Bush makes a statement Mr. Reid is on Television within two min. running down every word he says. I am sick of the negativity and failure to back up our President especially in a time of war. Mr. Reid needs to retire and take his Washington pensions and laught all the way to the bank. The enemy must love his statements.
To many people moved up from California and voted for him because they knew the name and they protrayed him as Pinky from a small town, you know the little guy. Big joke.
Wish they would recall him. I would drive a distance to sign. Sen. Ensign has common sense and is a much better Senator.
Oh and I called him Mr. Reid like they call President Bush, Mr. Bush and not President Bush.

[harry League]

Sen. Harry Reid is my senator and I can state with no equivication that he will not be getting my vote when and if he runs for the senate in 2010. I've had enough of his political claptrap which is nothing more than dissing the President and by extension the troops. This left leaning political flunkie needs to retire to the private sector where he can enjoy the ill gotten gains he accumulated over the years such as his land deals. The man is nothing more than a unindicted political criminal who needs to served with indictment papers. Unfortunately since he is a high flying political leader this will not happen and even if it does......the fix is in. In finality all I can say to my fellow Nevadans is that WE NEED TO CHANGE HARRY REID!!!

[DEF]

All Americans: Boycott Vegas, Tahoe, and Nevada until Reid resigns from the Senate!!!

[tony hartley]

I'm a Conservative rep.and when I her the bs coming from reid's mouth and his reckless attacks (ON JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING) and that coupled with the head witch's incompetence running the house..I get extremely worried for the stability on our great country. Obama is nothing more than a glory monger..he just wanted the title ..he is inept at doing the job, and even Dems. who once supported him unconditionally, are finally "waking up" to the destructive policies He is trying to jamb down our throats....Don't even get me started!!! I work like a dog to get what I have, and I give lots of money to charity because I want to.. but the moron in DC wants to penalize me for my hard labor...Is it just me, or doesn't it strike anyone else as a little F-----d up?