No_ITJ one_PNI had_VHD a_AT0 better_AJC sense_NN1 of_PRF what_DTQ it_PNP would_VM0 take_VVI to_TO0 win_VVI a_AT0 fight_NN1 or_CJC greater_AJC resolve_NN1 to_TO0 see_VVI it_PNP through_AVP ,_PUN come_VVB what_DTQ may_VM0 ._SENT This_DT0 tracked_VVD with_PRP his_DPS evolving_AJ0 view_NN1 of_PRF how_AVQ to_TO0 win_VVI in_PRP a_AT0 purple_AJ0 state_NN1 like_PRP Nevada_NP0 ,_PUN which_DTQ went_VVD for_PRP George_NP0 W_NP0 ._SENT Bush_NP0 in_PRP 2004_CRD and_CJC Barack_NP0 Obama_NP0 in_PRP 2008._CRD Mr._NP0 Reid_NP0 built_VVD a_AT0 machine_NN1 that_CJT focused_VVD on_PRP the_AT0 tough_AJ0 work_NN1 of_PRF building_NN1 coalitions_NN2 between_PRP organized_AJ0 labor_NN1 and_CJC progressive_AJ0 groups_NN2 and_CJC invested_VVN in_PRP the_AT0 nuts_NN2 and_CJC bolts_NN2 of_PRF politics_NN1 ,_PUN like_PRP voter_NN1 registration_NN1 ._SENT This_DT0 machine_NN1 (_PUL and_CJC the_AT0 state_NN1 's_POS changing_AJ0 demographics_NN2 )_PUR helped_VVD Democrats_NN2 register_VVI many_DT0 voters_NN2 :_PUN Around_PRP 2002_CRD ,_PUN they_PNP were_VBD behind_PRP Republicans_NN2 by_PRP 7_CRD ,_PUN 000_CRD voters_NN2 ;_PUN by_PRP 2020_CRD ,_PUN Democrats_NN2 held_VVD a_AT0 110_CRD ,_PUN 000-voter_NN1 advantage_NN1 ._SENT This_DT0 helped_VVD Democrats_NN2 win_VVI crucial_AJ0 races_NN2 —_PUN not_XX0 just_AV0 his_DPS own_DT0 victory_NN1 in_PRP 2010_CRD ,_PUN a_AT0 terrible_AJ0 midterm_NN1 year_NN1 for_PRP most_DT0 other_AJ0 Democrats_NN2 ,_PUN but_CJC also_AV0 2016_CRD ,_PUN when_AVQ Senator_NP0 Catherine_NP0 Cortez_NP0 Masto_NP0 won_VVD by_AVP over_PRP 25_CRD ,_PUN 000_CRD votes_NN2 ,_PUN and_CJC 2018_CRD ,_PUN when_AVQ Senator_NP0 Jacky_NP0 Rosen_NP0 won_VVD by_AVP about_PRP 50_CRD ,_PUN 000_CRD votes_NN2 ._SENT Countless_AJ0 remembrances_NN2 will_VM0 mention_VVI that_CJT he_PNP was_VBD a_AT0 boxer_NN1 ,_PUN but_CJC learning_VVG to_TO0 throw_VVI a_AT0 punch_NN1 seemed_VVD less_AV0 important_AJ0 to_PRP his_DPS career_NN1 than_CJS learning_VVG to_TO0 take_VVI one_PNI ._SENT Mr._NP0 Reid_NP0 was_VBD n't_XX0 just_AV0 unafraid_AJ0 of_PRF bad_AJ0 press_NN1 ;_PUN he_PNP saw_VVD it_PNP as_PRP a_AT0 necessary_AJ0 part_NN1 of_PRF achieving_VVG a_AT0 goal_NN1 ._SENT If_CJS he_PNP was_VBD n't_XX0 taking_VVG slings_NN2 and_CJC arrows_NN2 in_PRP service_NN1 of_PRF some_DT0 greater_AJC good_NN1 ,_PUN he_PNP figured_VVD ,_PUN he_PNP was_VBD n't_XX0 doing_VDG his_DPS job_NN1 ._SENT When_CJS Republicans_NN2 shut_VVB down_AVP the_AT0 government_NN1 in_PRP 2013_CRD to_TO0 try_VVI to_PRP defund_NN1 the_AT0 Affordable_AJ0 Care_NN1 Act_NN1 ,_PUN Mr._NP0 Reid_NP0 convinced_AJ0 Democrats_NN2 to_TO0 hold_VVI the_AT0 line_NN1 ._SENT In_PRP control_NN1 of_PRF the_AT0 House_NN1 ,_PUN Republicans_NN2 began_VVD passing_AJ0 bills_NN2 that_CJT funded_VVD popular_AJ0 parts_NN2 of_PRF the_AT0 government_NN1 and_CJC sending_VVG them_PNP over_AVP to_PRP the_AT0 Senate_NN1 ,_PUN daring_VVG Democrats_NN2 to_TO0 block_VVI them_PNP ._SENT They_PNP did_VDD ,_PUN and_CJC headlines_NN2 like_PRP "_PUQ Shutdown_NN1 Blocks_VVZ Kids_NN2 With_PRP Cancer_NN1 From_PRP Clinical_AJ0 Trials_NN2 "_PUQ proliferated_VVN ._SENT Mr._NP0 Reid_NP0 helped_VVD the_AT0 caucus_NN1 members_NN2 steel_VVB themselves_PNX against_PRP the_AT0 bad_AJ0 press_NN1 ._SENT It_PNP passed_VVD ,_PUN and_CJC Republicans_NN2 surrendered_VVD ,_PUN reopening_VVG the_AT0 government_NN1 after_PRP securing_VVG almost_AV0 zero_CRD concessions_NN2 and_CJC being_VBG dealt_VVN a_AT0 humiliating_AJ0 defeat_NN1 ._SENT This_DT0 foresight_NN1 is_VBZ probably_AV0 why_AVQ Social_AJ0 Security_NN1 remains_VVZ intact_AJ0 ._SENT In_PRP 2005_CRD ,_PUN Mr._NP0 Reid_NP0 refused_VVD to_TO0 let_VVI Mr._NP0 Bush_NP0 privatize_VVB the_AT0 program_NN1 at_PRP a_AT0 time_NN1 when_CJS conventional_AJ0 wisdom_NN1 held_VVD that_CJT Democrats_NN2 should_VM0 either_AV0 collaborate_VVI with_PRP Mr._NP0 Bush_NP0 or_CJC offer_VVB their_DPS own_DT0 plans_NN2 ._SENT Mr._NP0 Reid_NP0 rejected_VVD each_DT0 change_NN1 the_AT0 president_NN1 proposed_VVD ,_PUN recognizing_VVG that_CJT as_CJS soon_AV0 as_CJS the_AT0 Democrats_NN2 began_VVD considering_VVG reforms_NN2 ,_PUN they_PNP would_VM0 lose_VVI their_DPS strategic_AJ0 advantage_NN1 ._SENT He_PNP persuaded_VVD conservative_AJ0 Democrats_NN2 like_PRP Max_NP0 Baucus_NP0 ,_PUN who_PNQ had_VHD helped_VVN write_VVI the_AT0 2001_CRD Bush_NP0 tax_NN1 cuts_NN2 and_CJC was_VBD tempted_VVN to_TO0 compromise_VVI on_PRP Social_AJ0 Security_NN1 ,_PUN to_TO0 hold_VVI the_AT0 line_NN1 ._SENT 
