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Associated Press File
Sen. John Ensign’s office announced Wednesday that he is no longer the target of a Department of Justice investigation.
By Karoun Demirjian (contact) 
Sunday, Dec. 5, 2010 | 2 a.m.
Harry Reid
Shelley Berkley
Sun coverage
Sun archives
Sen. John Ensign may have taken some severe hits to his campaign operation, his war chest and his reputation, but with the Justice Department’s inquiry behind him, one thing’s for sure: His race to 2012 is under way.
Ensign declared his intention to seek a third term last month, with his legal troubles still hanging over him. But if things continue on their current trajectory, there’s little question that he can become a viable candidate.
That means the clock is ticking for his challengers, on both sides of the aisle, to throw their hats in the ring before Ensign potentially makes a complete return to normalcy.
It’s not just the presumed candidates who are under pressure to decide where they stand. How influential Republicans and Democrats line up behind the scenes is going to be just as important an indicator of who’s got the goods to win the election.
On the Democrats’ side, it all comes down to Harry Reid: He has built an influential ground operation, has more connections than anybody in the state and knows how to raise money — the price tag for his 2010 re-election was almost $25 million.
Although the framework is there, it’s Reid’s to set in motion. The Senate leader has had a nonaggression pact with Ensign — he barely issued a peep about his junior colleague during the entire scandal — but it’s not clear if that will continue.
The chief hopeful recipient of Reid’s political treasure chest is Rep. Shelley Berkley, who told the Sun in an interview last week that she expects to declare whether or not she’ll run early in 2011 — certainly by Valentine’s Day.
If she joins the fray that soon, it will pressure Republican hopefuls to lay their primary cards on the table before the race is defined as between Berkley and Ensign only.
There are a lot more moving parts to consider on the Republican side.
After Ensign’s affair and a Tea Party push that helped Sharron Angle upset the GOP’s preferred Senate candidate this year, Nevada’s Republican organization is anything but organized. That should make it easier for Republican activists to make an independent pick.
With no direction from Washington — National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman John Cornyn says he hasn’t given the race enough thought to pick a preferred candidate, which given the party’s propensity to back incumbents is saying something — the field appears even more open to the potential of a nontraditional pick such as Rep. Dean Heller.
Although influential Republicans will whisper their preferences privately, few have named candidates publicly — some likely fearing they’ll be left out in the cold if their pick doesn’t run.
That said, several insiders noted how small Ensign’s circle of dependable political friends has become. Few rushed to his defense during the scandal, and his reputation wasn’t the only one to take a hit.
Ensign’s name being cleared does not necessarily mean his staff and former allies return. The GOP’s resident campaign genius, Mike Slanker, got burned in the Ensign affair, and has a history of running successful Heller campaigns.
Having an experienced state campaign operative such as Slanker on board could be crucial. Securing the Tea Party’s exclusive favor will also be an important step for securing the GOP nomination.
State GOP insiders say those are the considerations for Heller as he decides if and when to declare his candidacy.
His name was tossed about as a potential Senate contender in 2010; since the Ensign affair, he’s been the party’s undeclared favorite.
But with a more level playing field, he’s still got a lot to lose: Heller moves into the House majority next year, where he has close ties with Speaker-elect John Boehner.
But insiders aren’t everything. Just ask Angle. Come to think of it, she knows a thing or two about the Tea Party ... and doesn’t have much to lose.
Please let the TeaHeads push Sharron Angle to replace Ensign, this just might cause the Nevada GOP to finally self destruct..
It takes one low-life arrogant SOB to run for reelection after what he's done and proves just how detached from reality Ensign is.
He's crazy Angle without the lipstick or tea party support.
I knew that the LV SUN would come up with at least one Ensign article today.
I also knew that the Ensign article would be followed by several name calling discussion posts from the Ensign haters.
Here's one that sets the tone:
"It takes one low-life arrogant SOB to run for reelection after what he's done..."
And just what has John Ensign done to draw this kind of criticism?
Oh, I know, John Ensign is a Republican, and that is enough to make the Ensign haters foam at their mouths...
Much is written by the "experts" on the economy. For those experts and many wealthy American's to thrive, requires shoring back up the very system that just collapsed. Change cannot happen unless those at the top of the economic heap want it to. That unfortunatly would mean a business not government driven redistrubution of money. I really don't see that happening. Greed (which allows and promotes cheap imigrant labor to thrive) has been our undoing. The butcher, the baker and the candle stick maker can no longer earn a living wage in the U.S. . Every able person has to have a job ( a real job they can actually survive on) for any society to exist. Jobs,even seemingly simple task jobs have to pay enough so that worker can in turn spend his income on daily needs, food , shelter etc.. This new world economy everyone speaks of, can't ignore basic principles of economics. Leave the masses in the situation they are in now and I can assure you the long term result will not be pretty. Desperate people with time on their hands is probably the most potentially dangerous situation I can imagine. Hope we find a peacful way to initiate change, the alternative could be catistrofic.
First off, I believe Reid will turn his organization loose to support the strongest Democrat. Harry's probably a lame duck now. I doubt he'll run again in 2016, so that renders his non-aggression pact with Ensign as expired.
Second, the Tea Party will still be a significant factor in 2012. In Nevada, Sharron Angle has the Tea Party chops to emerge as the strongest Tea Party leader in the 2012 race. I view her defeat to Reid as a moral victory rather than an ignominious defeat. Despite her own weaknesses and her campaign's disorganization, she gave Reid a serious run for his money. She now has a little time to clean up her act, and put together a better machine.
Third, the Tea Party, with or without Angle, as a powerful faction of the Republican Party, must be included, or at least appeased by whoever tries to win the Republican nomination. Ensign and Heller have not cultivated much of a following among the Tea Partiers, as far as I can tell. This is a serious flaw which tends to shift the power over to Angle.
Conclusion? Sharron Angle is more than just a wildcard for the 2012 Nevada Republican Senate nomination, she's the leader. If Ensign wants to win, he has to neutralize Angle either through a head-to-head fight or through some sort of deal. The head-to-head fight with Angle would lead to serious weakness for Ensign (or Heller) in the general election, so some sort of deal with Angle is the only way for a conventional Republican like Ensign or Heller to win in 2012.
Hey skerlahdee...
Did you think all that up yourself? If so you are one pretty smart person.
I am impressed...
Senator Ensign protects his corp mining buddies at the expense of shift miners. Senator Ensign believes and has shown by his actions and correspondence THAT he (Ensign) has no problem with a miner driving a haul truck with a cab fire FROM improperly install electrical components. Further, Senator Ensign also believes that a miner has no right FOR an investigation of a cab fire in a moving haul truck until either the driver is dead or the haul truck cab fire has raged for 30 minutes. Do I have that right Senator Ensign per your letters?
PRupp B125 SP NV 89047
Why in the world would anyone vote for this member of the Christian Mafia who clearly does NOT espouse 'family values' and who clearly must have played hookie from Sunday School on the day they taught the 10 Commandments as Mr. Ensign clearly trounced the 7th, 9th, and 10th Commandments! Nope ... not a chance in hell he'll get my vote and I'll campaign vehemently against him.