The soft-spoken Senate Democratic leader showed in 2013 why he’s considered the chamber’s top tactician. He outmaneuvered Republicans in the fiscal cliff deal that opened the year, tapped lieutenant Patty Murray to successfully negotiate the budget deal that ended it, and pounded the GOP for the government shutdown in between. Reid slid to the left without endangering the trio of moderate Democrats up for re-election, and moved to ease the Senate’s procedural gridlock by eliminating filibusters for most presidential nominees.