Reid, Ensign now on same side

Benjamin Grove

Thursday, Dec. 7, 2000 | 10:43 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Harry Reid, the influential No. 2 Democrat in the Senate, and freshman Republican Sen.-elect John Ensign today said they already are forging a bipartisan alliance.

They pledged to wage war on bills related to shipping nuclear waste to Nevada and legislation they believe attacks the gambling industry. The two already are plotting a strategy, along with gambling industry chiefs, to block a bill that would ban bets made in Nevada casinos on college sports.

Reid suggested their relationship could send a message to other senators about how a Democrat and Republican can work together. The two might even team up on more national issues, such as prescription drug coverage and the patients bill of rights, Ensign said.

"We're hoping people are willing to look across the aisle," Ensign said.

Reid and Ensign met for about 30 minutes inside Reid's sunny office inside the Capitol. It was their first formal meeting to talk issues along with their chiefs-of-staff, Susan McCue (Reid) and Scott Bensing.

Their smiles and cordial words seemed a long way from a sometimes bitter campaign the two men fought during a race for Reid's seat in 1998. Reid won that contest by 428 votes. Ensign last month defeated Democrat Ed Bernstein to replace retiring Democratic Sen. Richard Bryan.

Reid said he owed Ensign a "debt of gratitude" for not prolonging recounts of their close 1998 race. He said they both expected to disagree on some issues but work together on others.

If Bush is elected president, Ensign will take over Reid's job of making federal appointment recommendations, such as judges, a task that falls to the senior senator of the president's party.

But Ensign said they would work together on the appointments. "Harry has a lot more experience in the Senate than I do," Ensign said. "Certainly I'll look to him for some guidance on this issue."

Reid said he looked forward to having a Republican ally on Nevada issues pending in Congress, such as the federal proposal to ship nuclear waste to the state and the proposed betting ban.

"John can talk to Republicans better than I can," Reid said.