Long-serving Democratic U.S. Senator from Nevada and former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid died Tuesday at age 82.

Reid was first elected to Congress in 1982 representing Nevada’s first congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives. Five years later, he was elected to the U.S. Senate. Reid assumed the upper chamber’s top position in 2007 as Senate majority leader, a position in which he served until 2015.

Reid was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2018, one year after his retirement from the Senate. He revealed in 2019 that he was in remission from his cancer.

U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL), who served with Reid in both chambers of Congress, on Wednesday reacted to the death of his longtime colleague.

“My wife, Annette, and I were saddened to learn of the death of Senator Reid this afternoon. Harry and I were long-term friends,” stated Shelby. “Even though we had different political philosophies, we served respectfully alongside one another in the U.S. House of Representatives and later in the halls of the Senate. We send our deepest condolences to his wife, Landra, and his family members.”

Reid played an instrumental role as Senate majority leader in spearheading efforts to achieve former President Barack Obama’s legislative agenda.

Perhaps the most notable legislative maneuver of Reid’s was the employment of what is referred to a the “nuclear option” in 2013, which allowed the majority party to advance executive and judicial nominations without filibuster constrains.

The legislative procedural tactic would go on to be utilized by Republicans and then-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) to fast track the nominations of former President Donald Trump.

Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL