Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., may get a warmer reception than might be expected from a presumably Republican audience when he speaks at Brigham Young University today.

BYU spokeswoman Carri Jenkins said Monday there had not been any requests for public expression and BYU College Republicans had no plans for a protest.

"While the BYU College Republicans disagree with the majority leader on almost every political issue and criticize his lackluster performance in the Senate, we will not impugn his character nor will we demean his office. With many of us having had a chance to listen to Harry Reid in both official and private settings, we are the first to attest that he is a dedicated public servant of outstanding moral integrity," reads an editorial written by the group and sent to the Daily Herald via e-mail.

The BYU College Republicans editorial also refers to Reid having "a great deal to offer students as an example of civic participation."

That is the type of reaction BYU political science professor Richard Davis said he hopes students will have to Reid's visit. He said he hopes they will learn from the presentation regardless of political differences.

Davis said having Reid visit is a good thing for BYU.

"It sends a message to all concerned that there isn't that bias," Davis said.

The university is politically neutral and so is the institution that supports it, Davis said.

Davis said he hopes Reid talks about why he is a Democrat and how that relates to his membership in the LDS Church.

"I think that's something students need to hear," Davis said.

Davis said Reid understands BYU. Some of Reid's children have attended school there.

Reid's visit is not a response to Vice President Dick Cheney's visit for April graduation. Jenkins said the invitation to Reid, extended by the BYU board of trustees, was in the works long before Cheney's visit.

"We do have a policy of political neutrality on campus but that does not mean that political discussion cannot take place on campus," Jenkins said.

Jenkins said no special security arrangements have been made for Reid's visit.

"We will have security in place, but we always do," Jenkins said.

The forum will be presented live on BYU Television, KBYU TV, KBYU FM and byubroadcasting.org. For rebroadcast information, visit byubroadcasting.org.