Reid setting sights beyond re-election bid

WASHINGTON -- Nevada Sen. Harry Reid is openly campaigning for a top Democratic leadership position next year, bringing many people -- including his chief opponent -- to speculate that Reid thinks he has this year's Senate race won against his primary opponent Rep. John Ensign, R-Nev.

In a apparent move to win support from his colleagues to replace retiring Sen. Wendell Ford, D-Ky., as Senate minority whip, Reid formed a political action committee in May to help Democrats across the country financially with their Senate campaigns.

Reid does not deny he is interested in becoming the next whip and said the people of Nevada would benefit if he is elected to the leadership position. Reid points to his seniority in the Senate as one of the main reasons discussions of an interim nuclear dump site at Yucca Mountain came to a halt in June. And Reid said his position on the Senate Appropriations Committee has brought millions of dollars into the Silver State.

"I am the chairman of the Democratic Policy Committee, and I am in line to be the next whip," he said. "I think the people of the state of Nevada are very happy I am in a leadership position and best friends with (Senate Minority Leader) Tom Daschle."

Reid said there are "a lot of reasons" he opened the PAC three months ago, which he said has raised about $100,000. Reid said his PAC dubbed the Searchlight Leadership Fund has contributed to about 32 Senate campaigns including former Indiana Gov. Evan Bayh's and California Sen. Barbara Boxer.

Ensign said Reid is making a mistake if he thinks the Senate race is over five months before the November election. And Ensign said Reid is following the same ill-fated path of Sen. Jim Sasser, D-Tenn., who was upset by Sen. Bill Frist, R-Tenn., in 1994.

Some political pundits speculate that Sasser was more focused on succeeding retiring Sen. George Mitchell, D-Maine, as the next majority leader, instead of focusing on his campaign back home.

"(Reid) is in the race for his life out here," Ensign said. "We don't think he is going to be the next whip, because we don't think he is going to be in the Senate after November."

Ensign said it is ideologically impossible for Reid to be part of the "liberal leaning" Democratic Senate leadership team and still represent the needs of Nevadans.

"Nevada is a very conservative state," Ensign said. "When you run for leadership positions in the Senate they normally elect more liberal members.

"It is very typical for (Reid) to be doing one thing in Washington and saying another (in Nevada)."

Paul Henry, chairman of the Nevada Democratic Party, refuted Ensign's statement and said Reid is very active on a number of issues important to Nevadans.

"From the first day of his election, he has paid a great deal of attention to constituent services," Henry said. "This is a man that is very much in step with the issues that concern the people of Nevada."

Don Burdish, executive director for the Nevada Republican Party, said he is not surprised Reid formed his own leadership PAC. Burdish also said Republicans will be watching to make sure Reid doesn't use the PAC to illegally fund his own campaign.

"My concern about him starting up a leadership PAC to fund other campaigns is if he starts to receive campaign contributions from the campaigns he has already given to," Burdish said. "If he is doing it to raise money for his campaign to get around FEC contribution rules I don't think it is right."

Sen. Richard Bryan, D-Nev., said he would support Reid if he runs for the whip position. Bryan also said he thinks Reid will beat Ensign, but it will be a tough campaign.

"I think at this point, Sen. Reid has run a great campaign," Bryan said. "I think Sen. Reid is going to win, but Congressman Ensign is a formidable opponent."

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