However you feel about him, Sen. Harry Reid made an impact

Once one of the 21^st Century’s most powerful Democrats in Congress, Nevada Sen. Harry Reid died on Tuesday at the age of 82 of pancreatic cancer.

A memorial service for Reid is 11 a.m. Jan. 11 at the Smith Center for the Performing Arts in Las Vegas.

First elected in 1986, Reid spent three decades in the senate, in addition to being elected lieutenant governor in 1970 at the age of 31.

No politician agitated a majority of Douglas County residents quite like Reid.

When he put up a campaign billboard with the slogan “Independent, Like Nevada,” in 2004, one Douglas resident filed a sheriff’s report claiming it was false advertising.

Former state Republican Party Chairman George Abbott said the claim made it sound like Reid was a member of another party.

But instead of taking the billboard down, it made national news and perhaps helped Reid defeat opponent Richard Ziser in every Nevada county, except Douglas. Reid never did win Douglas County in the 30 years he served in the U.S. Senate.

On Wednesday morning, Rep. Mark Amodei, R-Nev., remembered Reid as someone who fought for the Silver State.

“The ultimate Nevada advocate again gets to talk boxing with Mike O’Callaghan,” Amodei said. “Rest In Peace Mr. Leader.”

As an advocate for the Silver State, Reid was also a champion for legalized gambling.

"From his days as chairman of the Nevada Gaming Commission to tenure as Majority Leader, Sen. Reid’s impact on Nevada and the gaming industry is unparalleled. He was the ultimate gaming champion,” American Gaming Association President and CEO Bill Miller said. "I’m grateful for having known the Senator throughout my career in Washington, D.C. Without a shadow of a doubt, Sen. Reid was one of the sharpest, most effective political minds to ever enter the arena.”

One of Reid’s successors credited him for advancing Nevada’s interests.

“Sen. Reid was an inspiration to me and so many Nevadans,” said Nevada Sen. Jacky Rosen. “A former boxer from Searchlight, he taught me that it is always worth fighting the good fight, and I am forever grateful for his friendship over the years. Senator Reid carried our state to new heights — nobody has done more in the history of our state to advance Nevada’s interests.”

Former Sen. Dean Heller said Reid’s impact would be felt for a long time in Nevada and across the country.

“Even though we were rarely on the same page politically, Harry Reid was always gracious, classy, and warm in our personal interactions and I always appreciated that about him,” former Sen. Dean Heller said. “We shared the bond of being members of the LDS faith, and he was a devoted family man who will be deeply missed by Landra and the entire Reid family. Lynne and I are thinking of them tonight and wishing them nothing but peace and solace as they say goodbye to a beloved husband, father, and grandfather. Harry Reid’s impact and legacy will be long felt in Nevada and beyond.”