WASHINGTON — Charles Schumer is poised to become the most powerful Democrat in the US Senate after minority leader Harry Reid unexpectedly announced he is stepping down at the end of 2016.
In an extraordinarily rapid turn of events, Reid, a five-term Nevada Democrat, revealed his plans Friday morning — and within hours signaled his support for the New York Democrat to succeed him.
By Friday afternoon, even Schumer’s leading possible rival for the job, Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, was publicly jumping on the Schumer train.
Reid, 75, notified President Obama of his intentions Thursday night, when he also told Durbin, the No. 2 Democratic leader.
Schumer immediately began dialing colleagues.
A source close to Schumer said Reid encouraged Schumer to make the calls to line up support — and that he had secured a strong majority by mid-afternoon.
Reid’s unusual intervention to produce a rapid succession got DC talking almost as much as the news of his impending retirement.
“When push comes to shove, I think it was very doubtful that Sen. Durbin could have found the votes to win,” one Democratic source told The Post.
Reid was facing the prospect of a tough re-election in battleground Nevada.
He also is still recuperating from a serious injury to his eye in an exercise accident inside his Nevada home in January.
“This is a classic Sen. Reid. It’s obvious that he’s trying to tie up any loose ends as quickly as possible. It’s avoiding bloodletting, uncertainty, etc., as well,” Jim Manley, a former Reid aide, told The Post.
Reid said he was announcing his impending departure now because he didn’t want to “soak up” Democratic resources that could be going to others when he knew he might not run.
“We’ve got to be more concerned about the country, the Senate, the state of Nevada than about ourselves,” Reid said in a video statement, wearing glasses fogged over in one lens, with bruises still visible on his face.
Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) was also thought to have interest in moving up the leadership ladder from her No. 4 spot, though Schumer’s rapid consolidation may have dissuaded her.
Reid could have faced a tough re-election fight. He barely topped 50 percent of the vote in 2010 against a weak Tea Party opponent.