John Reed

John Reed is a LDE3 character canonically from Chicago, Illinois.
==Biography==
John Reed was born in Chicago on May 4, 1968. He worked in union shops and went to school at the University of Chicago to get a law degree. He later worked as union lawyer for several years, representing the UAW, USW, AFL-CIO, and IBT. He married his wife Marley in the 90s. 
Reed ran for house in 2004 in response to eroding union rights under the UCP. Although familiar with Democrats, Reed registered as an independent and won after the DNC declined to run a candidate in IL-3 that year. He introduced many union and industrial oriented bills in the house, but only one, a farmer right-to-repair bill, became law. 
In 2006 Reed declared he would run for Heartland's open senate seat, and in the democratic primary to avoid vote splitting. After winning the primary Reed declared that "Democratic voters have voted against unfettered capitalism" earning him much condemnation. Glenn Rhee barred Reed from receiving DNC funds because of the comment, starting a long feud between Reed and the Democratic establishment. 
After this, Reed declared his intentions to run as a 3rd party candidate in the 2008 election. After the disaster of the 2008 DNC Rachel Reeves joined Reed as his Vice President, and the duo campaigned intensely. They won 7.3% in the first round and were the first 3rd party run since 1996. After talks between the Reed & Krause camps broke down, Reed and Reeves publicly refused to endorse a candidate for the 2nd round. They told voters to leave the presidential ballot blank. On election night Reed announced the formation of the Progressive Independent Group to pursue policy independent of the Democratic Party. 
After the 5/4 attacks, Reed authored a resolution to create a senate investigative committee, which eventually led to the downfall of Virgil Davenport and the uncovering of the fabricated evidence for war against Cuba. After the stresses of his term Reed announced he would not be running for re-election in 2012. 
==Electoral History==
John Reed won his first election to IL-3 in the US House as an independent during the 2004 cycle, with the endorsement of former IL-3 Independent Bobby Gates and others. Despite strong opposition from the DNC, Reed won the Democratic Primary for Heartland Senate in 2006, and defeated UCP opponent Czechmated Taiga in the 2006 general election, after receiving the endorsement of William J. Krause and other progressives. Reed then ran in the 2008 Presidential Election against Krause and Virgil Davenport, 
==Trivia==
* John Reed's faceclaim comes from Oliver Platt's character Cicero in FX's The Bear
* APTerminator colloquially goes by Reed on the internet
* Reed left the character John Reed to become an Admin in 2010.
Category:Characters