Thomas B. Reed

Thomas Brackett Reed (October 18, 1839 — December 7, 1902) was an American politician from the state of Maine. A member of the Republican Party, Reed rose from regional roots in the Maine state government, first as a member of the Maine House of Representatives and Senate, then as Attorney General of the state. Eventually Reed would be elected to represent Maine's 1st District in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1877 to 1897. During his tenure as Representative he also served as the 32nd Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, first from 1889-1891, then from 1895-1897. Reed's political career hit its zenith when he was elected to the Presidency in the 1900 presidential election, defeating former president William Jennings Bryan in an upset victory.

Early career
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House of Representatives
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Rules
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Civil Rights
In 1889 and 1890, Congressional Republicans undertook one last effort to secure federal enforcement of the Fifteenth Amendment to protect the enfranchisement of African Americans in the South. Reed took a deep interest in the effort, and, using his newfound rules fiercely, secured passage of the "Lodge Bill" (Federal Elections Bill) in the House in 1890. Despite their best efforts, the bill faced a filibuster in the Senate when Silver Republicans in the western states traded away their support of the bill for the Sherman Silver Purchase Act.

In 1896, Reed sought the Republican nomination for president, but was unable to secure it as Mark Hanna was able to gain the candidacy for Ohio Governor William McKinley.

Presidency (1901-1902)
Main article: Presidency of Thomas B. Reed

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Personal life
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Death
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