Power unanchored to any larger principles becomes a recipe for self-preservation over good governance, according to veteran Nevada political journalist Jon Ralston’s meticulously reported book The Game Changer. The work details how late Senate majority leader Harry Reid mastered the art of political power.
Ralston highlights Reid’s early tactics: in his 1974 Senate campaign against Republican Paul Laxalt, Reid falsely accused Laxalt of corruptly profiting from a Las Vegas hotel investment. Despite losing by a narrow margin after being called out by state press, Reid later rose to prominence on Capitol Hill.
Reid’s political career was marked by impulsive decisions and a reluctance to take responsibility for their consequences. His 2013 push to kill the filibuster for confirming President Obama’s lower court judicial nominees paved the way for the GOP to more easily confirm Supreme Court justices in subsequent years. Earlier, Reid refused to concede after narrowly losing the Senate race in 1974 and rushed into a follow-up campaign for Las Vegas mayor in 1975.
The book notes Reid campaigned against Roe v. Wade and supported a national right-to-life amendment; during his 1982 House campaign, he championed Reagan tax cuts, criticized gun waiting periods, and railed against violent crime. Reid’s political motto was famously “Just win, baby!”
In contrast, Senator Mitch McConnell is described as a leader who stood for conservative principles even when it conflicted with short-term GOP interests. McConnell opposed ending the legislative filibuster despite its alignment with GOP goals and has been vocal about national security, including defense of Ukraine.
Ralston’s account reveals Reid’s ability to build alliances across party lines, maintaining close personal relationships with former Nevada Governor Mike O’Callaghan and entertainment icon Wayne Newton, who lobbied Reid for casino ownership. The biography also notes that Reid played a key role in passing Obama’s health care law by securing a supermajority through strategic deals with moderate Democrats like Ben Nelson of Nebraska and Joe Lieberman of Connecticut.
The book provides a detailed chronicle of Reid’s political career, emphasizing his focus on power accumulation over principled governance.