Reid Takes Fire From Left

As Congress inches closer to a final health-care bill, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is finding himself caught between the demands of liberal "netroots" groups and the electoral realities of his purple state. Progressive groups, hoping to force Reid leftward in health-care deliberations, are threatening to challenge the senator with a liberal primary opponent next year; one organization, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, has even bought time in Las Vegas for a spot called "Is Harry Reid Strong Enough?" But aggressive campaigns and strong words from influential blogs like DailyKos have some in-state liberal bodies worried about the possible effects. The challenges may be a moot point anyway: Not only is Reid looking weak against relatively unknown Republicans, according to a Mason-Dixon poll, but health-care issues may take a backseat to the state of the economy come November 2011.