Nevada’s longevity record goes to Reid

WASHINGTON -- Colleagues paid tribute Wednesday to Sen. Harry Reid, who became Nevada's longest-serving member of Congress at 10,957 days and counting.

At a bit more than 30 years, Reid surpassed Republican John Percival Jones, a silver mining magnate from Northern Nevada who was elected by the state Legislature in 1873 to represent the young state in the Senate and who served until 1903.

"The state of Nevada was admitted to the union in 1864. Since 1864, there have been 25 senators in its 148-year history. Today, Harry Mason Reid becomes the longest-serving member of Congress in the history of the state of Nevada," announced Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill.

"Today Harry becomes part of the history of his state," Durbin said.

Reid, former Nevada lieutenant governor and a trained trial lawyer, was elected to the U.S. House in 1982, advanced to the Senate in 1986 and was re-elected in 1992, 1998, 2004 and in 2010, totaling roughly 30 years.

He became acknowledged as the most powerful Nevadan ever in federal service as he climbed the Senate leadership ladder and became majority leader in 2007.

Durbin, who is Reid's chief leadership deputy, entered Congress with the Nevadan in 1983 and has spent significant time by his side in recent years. He said he has heard many stories from him about Nevada and his youth.

"I would dare say I would probably not really know anything about the town of Searchlight, Nevada, were it not for Harry Reid," Durbin joked as Reid stood nearby. "He has told us so many stories of his youth and his background in that tiny town and what brought him to his station in life today, I almost feel if there were a town or high school reunion I could attend it with Harry and look around and recognize a lot of the people there."

Reid was a boxer and baseball player in his youth. Durbin recalled once introducing Reid to former Chicago Cub great Ernie Banks, who did not believe the Nevadan had played catcher and challenged him to "get in the position."

"At that point I heard the bones creaking as Harry went down in his catcher's crouch right in my office in front of Ernie Banks, and we all cheered," Durbin said.

Durbin retold moments in Reid's life and career from when he won junior class treasurer in high school up until his role in negotiations over the weekend on legislation to avert the "fiscal cliff."

Reid's reaction to Durbin's remarks was low-key.

"Most of what he said was unimportant, but I appreciate his efforts to try to make me look better than what I am," he said.

Reid said he recalled his early days in the House as "such a wonderful experience."

"For the first three or four months I was thinking I was going to have to pay someone because I was having such a good time," he said.

He credited his mentor, Mike O'Callaghan, his high school teacher and boxing coach who rose to become Nevada governor. O'Callaghan died in 2004 at age 74.

"He was such an exemplary person in my life," Reid said.

Contact Stephens Washington Bureau Chief Steve Tetreault at stetreault@stephensmedia.com or 202-783-1760.