How do they really feel about Ensign?

By Jon Ralston (contact)

Sunday, Oct. 26, 2008 | 2:01 a.m.

Everyone knows about GOP Sen. John Ensign’s attempt to keep climbing the ladder in the upper house. But as he throws his name into the ring to head the Senate Republican Policy Committee, the question is: Do any of his colleagues even like him? Stories continue to come out detailing how Ensign, as head of the GOP senators’ campaign arm, is getting snubbed by colleagues sitting on gigantic war chests. Ensign understandably wants help to fend off disaster Nov. 4, but, as Roll Call most recently reported, “senators are still not ponying up to the cash-strapped National Republican Senatorial Committee in a significant way.” So if the Democrats get to the magic 60, does Ensign get blamed for that and dissed for the new post?