Ensign to resign

Nevada's junior U.S. Senator John Ensign (R) has announced that he will resign on May 3. Just last month, he had said he would not seek re-election in 2012, but would serve out his term. In making the announcement, Ensign is quoted in Reuters as saying, "While I stand behind my firm belief that I have not violated any law, rule, or standard of conduct of the Senate, and I have fought to prove this publicly, I will not continue to subject my family, my constituents or the Senate to any further rounds of investigation, depositions, drawn out proceedings or especially public hearings. For my family and me, this continued personal cost is simply too great." Ensign thus falls further from grace as a result of his admitted extra-marital affair and other alleged wrongdoing related to helping Doug Hampton, a former member of his staff, land a lobbying job. Hampton is the husband of Cynthia Hampton, the woman with whom Ensign had an affair.

U.S. Congressman Dean Heller of Nevada.
Photo © Stan White

Ensign's resignation will allow Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval to appoint someone to fill out the remainder of the term. It takes no imagination to see who that will be - current Nevada Congressman Dean Heller, who is already in the race for Ensign's seat. That will make Heller the incumbent, a position usually quite advantageous come election time. At this point, it looks like Heller will be facing Democratic Congresswoman Shelley Berkley, who has also formally entered the race.

When I think about it, this shuffle of Republicans looks like it might have been planned out for months - Republican Sandoval giving Republican Heller a leg up in what is projected to be a close race, with Ensign and his baggage being removed from the picture. Hmmm.

Get more Reno / Tahoe information: