Harry Reid is the senior United States Senator from Nevada and belongs to the Democratic Party. He has been elected and reelected for this position four times and is contesting for his fifth term in 2010. Sue Lowden (Suzanne Plummer Lowden) is his Republican opponent.
Comparison chart
 | Harry Reid | Sue Lowden |
|---|---|---|
| Residence | Searchlight, Nevada | Las Vegas, Nevada |
| Alma Mater | Southern Utah University Utah University George Washington University | American University, Fairleigh Dickinson University |
| Occupation | Lawyer | Elementary School Teacher News Reporter |
| Serves on committees | - | Senate Taxation Committee |
| Religion | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints | Catholic |
| Current Position | Senior United States Senator from Nevada | Member of the Nevada Senate |
| Website | http://www.harryreid.com/ | http://www.suelowden.com/ |
| Position on health care | Supports fiscally responsible health insurance reforms ensuring affordable quality health care. | Encourages small businesses to pool resources for the purchase of health insurance. |
| Position on economy | Passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and made the sales tax deduction permanent. | Wants to eliminate Estate and capital gains tax. Supports the 2001 federal tax cut. |
| Position on Foreign Policy | Wants American military to be the strongest in the world to continue global fight against terrorism. | Believes that relationship with Israel is critical for safety and security of the world. |
| Position on Energy | Efforts to position Nevada as the nation’s clean energy leader. | To cut down dependence on Middle East nations for oil and create a self sufficient State. |
| Age | 70 (as of Apr 2010) | 57 (as of Apr 2010) |
| Place of birth | Searchlight, Nevada | New Jersey |
| Preceded by | Paul Laxalt | Jack Vergiels |
| Political Party | Democratic | Republican |
| Spouse | Landra Gould | Paul Lowden |
| Date of birth | December 2, 1939 | Unavailable |
Comparison of Economic Policy
Reid believes in institutionalizing the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and in making sales tax deduction permanent. Through the Recovery Act, Nevada benefits by receiving $1.5 billion and it also helps in creating about 34,000 jobs for the next two years. This funding helps the laid off employees to recover their jobs thereby making the State a happy place to live in. This also helped in giving a tax cut to many residents and provided the much needed relief to the middle class. He is now working towards strengthening of the Nevada tourism industry.
Lowden believes in borrowing less, spending less and taxing less when it comes to the country or her State. The State faces one of the highest unemployment rates in the country and her objective is economic recovery. She believes in cutting business tax that is levied on American job providers, to cut the payroll tax, efforts to eliminate capital gains tax, long term plans for job creation through innovation and investment in new industries, protection of signature industries of the State, creating transparent and accountable government spending etc.
Comparison of Health Care Policy
Harry Reid is intending to pass a health insurance reform that is fiscally responsible. The purpose is to cut costs and to ensure affordable quality health care. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act provide a lot of benefits. It helps in strengthening Medicare and reduces the cost of prescription drug medications. It protects the interests of low and middle income seniors. It induces the insurance companies to remain transparent and honest.
Sue Lowden deliberates to cut the cost of health insurance and making it accessible to those who have no coverage. A meaningful national medical liability reform must be passed first. She believes in encouraging the residents of the State to buy health insurance across state lines like many other commodities so as to increase the number of companies. Small companies can pool together their resources while purchasing health insurance for their employees since the State is inundated with many small companies. The residents should be able to purchase health insurance outside their jobs as well.
Comparison of Energy Policy
Reid wants to position Nevada as the country’s clean energy leader and he believes that the State’s abundant potential for renewable energy cuts down their dependence on foreign oil and also increases local jobs. He wants to quicken the pace of creation and utilization of renewable energy, building of new transmission lines for delivering this renewable energy from the rural areas to the consumers and more importantly encourage conservation and efficiency.
Lowden chooses to make use of alternate options like wind, geothermal and solar energies to create self sufficiency in the State. She wants to curb the dependence on Middle East nations for oil. She encourages investment in modern energy technologies. She does not want the end consumers to suffer with increased power rates because of any changes in the legislative practices.
Early Life and Political Career
Being born in Searchlight, Nevada to a miner father, Reid graduated from Southern Utah and Utah State University and thereafter received a JD from George Washington University Law School. He began his career by working as an attorney before becoming the Lieutenant Governor. He has served in various other positions.
Lowden was born in New Jersey. She did her graduation from American University and proceeded to do her post graduation from Fairleigh Dickinson University. She began as an elementary school teacher and thereafter worked as a reporter with KLAS-TV from where she worked her way up in politics.
Reid vs Lowden in Opinion Polls
The Nevada senate race is pretty tight according to recent opinion poll results. Most forecasters classify this race as a tossup.
| Poll source | Dates administered | Harry Reid (D) | Sue Lowden (R) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mason Dixon/LVJR | April 11, 2010 | 38% | 46% |
| Rasmussen Reports | March 31, 2010 | 39% | 54% |
| Rasmussen Reports | March 3, 2010 | 38% | 51% |
| Research 2000 | February 9–10, 2010 | 39% | 53% |
| Rasmussen Reports | February 3, 2010 | 39% | 45% |
| YouGovPolimetrix | January 6–11, 2010 | 41% | 42% |
| Public Policy Polling | January 25, 2010 | 42% | 51% |
| Public Policy Polling | January 11–12, 2010 | 41% | 51% |
| Rasmussen Reports | January 11, 2010 | 36% | 48% |
| Mason-Dixon | January 7, 2010 | 40% | 50% |
| Rasmussen Reports | December 9, 2009 | 43% | 49% |
| Mason Dixon/LVJR | December, 2009 | 41% | 51% |
| Research 2000 | October 17–19, 2009 | 42% | 47% |
| Mason Dixon/LVJR | October 8, 2009 | 39% | 49% |
| Rasmussen Reports | September 14, 2009 | 40% | 50% |
| Research 2000 | August 31-Sept. 2, 2009 | 41% | 44% |
| Mason Dixon/LVJR | August 17–18, 2009 | 40% | 45% |
| Vitale & Associates | July 29–30, 2009 | 42% | 48% |
Joe Sestak 
Robin Carnahan 
Alexi Giannoulias 
Democrat 
Conservative
Comments: Harry Reid vs Sue Lowden