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Sen. John Ensign announces he will not seek another term in 2012 during a news conference at the Lloyd George Federal Building in Las Vegas on Monday, March 7, 2011. Ensign’s wife, Darlene, stands by him at left.
By Anjeanette Damon (contact) 
, Karoun Demirjian (contact)
Tuesday, March 8, 2011 | 2 a.m.
Prepared Remarks
Sun Coverage
Sun Archives
- John Ensign will retire after term to avoid ‘exceptionally ugly’ campaign (3-7-2011)
- Gravel pit bill’s aside: 2012 political posturing (3-7-2011)
- Dean Heller’s message: Senate seat is mine to lose (2-16-2011)
- Rep. Dean Heller takes poll, leads Sen. John Ensign by 15, inches closer to announcement (2-15-2011)
- Facing re-election bid, will John Ensign be left in the cold? (2-1-11)
- Senate Ethics Committee appoints special counsel in John Ensign case (2-1-11)
- John Ensign in awkward position headed toward 2012 elections (1-13-2011)
- Challengers not the lone hurdle in Ensign’s 2012 campaign (12-5-2010)
- Justice Department clears John Ensign, but how will voters react? (12-1-2010)
- Justice Department halts John Ensign probe (12-1-2010)
- Election Commission won’t punish John Ensign for cash to mistress (11-19-2010)
- Fellow Republicans call for John Ensign’s resignation (4-9-2010)
- Deconstructing the facade of John Ensign (4-5-2010)
- John Ensign faces ethics complaint over apartment rent rate (4-1-2010)
- John Ensign: Press has been unfair (3-25-2010)
- Grand jury subpoenas issued in John Ensign probe (3-18-2010)
- E-mails link Sen. John Ensign to job effort tied to mistress' husband (3-10-2010)
In a final acquiescence to what many saw as the inevitable end to his scandal-scarred political career, U.S. Sen. John Ensign closed the door on a re-election bid Monday, dramatically improving his party’s chances of keeping his seat in a swing state that has been leaning more Democrat.
The move accelerates the race for a seat that will help determine which party controls the U.S. Senate after 2012.
Ensign’s announcement intensifies the pressure on Democrats, who had been hoping the beleaguered incumbent would stay in the race long enough to weaken presumed Republican front-runner Rep. Dean Heller.
But the timing surprised many Republican insiders — even those who expected him to eventually bow out — and comes as the Senate Ethics Committee intensifies its investigation into his extramarital affair with his best friend’s wife.
Democrats must quickly figure out who their strongest candidate will be to run as they hope to resurrect the Obama wave and ride it once again to down-ticket victories.
Meanwhile, Republicans will try to quell a potential scrum of primary opponents who might view the open seat more favorably now, despite Heller’s presumed entrance.
Democrats put on a strong face in the wake of Ensign’s announcement, brushing aside suggestions the departure of a weakened incumbent makes it more difficult for them to pick up the seat.
“We’ve been preparing to run against Dean Heller since Day One,” Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee spokesman Eric Schultz said.
The committee has identified Ensign’s seat in Nevada, and Scott Brown’s seat in Massachusetts, as their two best opportunities to build their majority in 2012.
The GOP has only 10 Senate seats to defend, while Democrats will try to hold onto 23.
Still, with 20 months to go, Democrats are moving slowly in narrowing in on a candidate for the seat.
Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., has put the party on notice that she is considering running. She’s been raising money, gauging support in Washoe County — outside her Southern Nevada base — and polling.
But the committee’s recruitment process goes beyond Berkley; they’re also eyeing Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto and Secretary of State Ross Miller. Treasurer Kate Marshall is also said to be interested.
Cortez Masto and Miller are expected to defer their announcements until after Berkley declares her intentions.
Democratic strategists say with Ensign out of the race, they expect Berkley will make her plans known in the spring.
But Berkley says she won’t change her schedule: Expect an announcement by early summer, not before.
“I’m not going to be rushed into this. What happens on my side of the aisle is my business,” she said. “And nobody is rushing me.”
Meanwhile, Republicans are quickly working to line up behind Heller, who is expected to make an announcement sooner rather than later.
In a clear signal of his intentions, Heller leaked an internal poll last month showing he is the strongest candidate in a Republican field that included Ensign, by a 15-point margin.
Although Heller’s the clear party favorite, that doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll have a free ride.
Former Assemblywoman Sharron Angle, R-Reno, who lost to Sen. Harry Reid last year, has indicated an interest. So has Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki.
National Republicans clearly want to avoid a primary and have set their sights on the general election already.
“Next year’s Senate race in Nevada will now come down to a clear choice between two competing visions for our country — between a Republican candidate who believes in smaller government, fiscal responsibility and creating good, private-sector jobs, and a Democrat candidate who believes in keeping our country on the same reckless fiscal path of more government and higher taxes,” Sen. John Cornyn, head of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said in a statement.
In an interview, Cornyn said Ensign’s decision helps the party: “It eliminates an issue. So I think our chances are very good of holding onto that seat.”
Rep. Shelley Berkley listens to the concerns of a constituent during a "Congress on Your Corner" event honoring Rep. Gabrielle Giffords Friday, Jan. 14, at Berkley's office in Las Vegas.
U.S. Rep. Dean Heller speaks at the grand opening of the Mandarin Oriental at CityCenter, Friday, Dec. 4, 2009.
Cornyn hasn’t talked to any of the possible candidates yet, he said. And a spokesman for the committee, which works to get Republicans elected, issued a reminder Monday that the organization plans to remain neutral until after the primary.
Despite Heller’s showing in early polls, Democrats point out that he has never been tested in a competitive statewide race, and that his congressional district has been solidly Republican since it was created after the 1980 census.
His district includes only a sliver of the heavily Democratic-leaning Las Vegas area, home to most of the state’s population. And Heller’s name-recognition isn’t high in Clark County: In 2009, only about two-thirds of the voters had registered an opinion of him, positive or negative.
“Dean Heller is not as strong as he likes to portray himself,” said one senior Democratic strategist with ties to the state.
The true testing ground for Heller’s cross-party appeal will be his performance in the urban area of his district — Washoe County, Democrats say. There, the picture isn’t quite so decisive: Heller lost Washoe to his opponent, Democrat Jill Derby, by 4 percentage points in 2006, and barely held onto it by 1 point in 2008.
Heller’s case with Democrats may be further complicated by his having spent his first two years in office shoring up support among conservatives, following a bruising primary victory over Angle. He’s taken conservative views on immigration, federal spending, the financial industry bailout and the stimulus, positions that won’t play as well in Las Vegas.
But the first hurdle to clear is the primary, and there, the field is one contender slimmer.
Ensign made his departure brief, calling the decision the most difficult of his life.
“This campaign would be exceptionally ugly,” he said. “I just came to the conclusion I couldn’t put my family through it.”
Once considered a potential 2012 presidential contender, Ensign fell sharply from grace in 2009 when he announced he had an affair with his best friend’s wife. His parents paid the couple, both Ensign’s employees, $96,000 after the affair. Ensign also helped the woman’s husband, Doug Hampton, find a job. Ensign’s actions are the target of a Senate Ethics Committee investigation.
Ensign spent two years denying the scandal would scuttle his re-election, and had been campaigning and fundraising in recent months, insisting he could still win.
Ensign chose the George Federal Building in Las Vegas for his announcement Monday, the site where two years earlier he revealed his sexual indiscretion.
Ensign said that both his wife, Darlene, and God have forgiven him. And although he apologized for his mistakes as a husband and friend, he remained adamant that he did nothing wrong as a senator — and that the pending investigation did not influence his decision.
“I didn’t break any ethics rules, I didn’t break any of the laws,” said Ensign, who has resisted pressure to resign. “Resigning would indicate guilt, and I did not do the things that they’re saying.”
Still, Ensign appeared to acknowledge lessons learned.
With his children standing nearby, Ensign’s wife rubbed his back as he announced his retirement. She smiled. Ensign winced.
“There are consequences to sin,” he said.
Sun reporter Delen Goldberg contributed to this story.
Goodbye, Capt. Hypocrite. Thanks for dragging Nevada through the mud for the last two years.
I hope Dean does run. It will give the entire state a chance to see how he has changed to become a Right-Wing Wacko and we can vote him out of Washington, D.C. Ensign says goodbye in 2011 and Dean voted out out in 2012. Then we get rid of education-killer Sandogibbons.
Angle or the Chicken Lady will beat-up Heller. Berkeley doesn't play well outside of Vegas, Maesto or Miller have more Statewide appeal and can get good old boy democratic votes.
If any readers are still wondering what has happened to our beloved Silver State, the last few words of the first paragraph in this article tell the story: "....a state that has been leaning more Democrat.
Nevada's ills, both fiscal and social, can be attributed to liberalism. This used to be a great state before coservatism gave-way to liberalism and we got Californicated. Thank your neighbor who keeps electing the libs.
LDS Heller will take the seat although Oscar might win as an Indy if he took the pledge (no way!). Delusional Angle is running for President and Lowden recently learned an expensive lesson that she won't repeat. Miller and Rory (no last name) are getting ready for a big fight. Cortez-Masto has lingering ethical problems and Berkley is increasing looking like a Metrosexual female (no curbside appeal). Dina Titus is still running for something, anything. Dina might get the angry cat vote if she recorded a campaign song with Carville. Again, Heller will get the seat.
hey sue lowden...
you should run dear...
everybody will forget your chickens for healthcare comment...
especially since you are now on the nevada medical board...
no problemo...
good lord...
and we wonder why the health care in this state sucks...
and we wonder why the hepatitis epidemic happened here...
suzanne lowden is on the medical board...
there should be riots in the streets...
it's a frickin joke!!!
http://www.medboard.nv.gov/New_MemStaff....
hey sharron...
it's god talking...
you should really run dear...
god's will was denied in the last election...
you came really really close...
you will definitely win this time sweetie...
besides...
the masses simply can not resist your smile...
run sharron run!!!
I suggest that Sharron Angle stay out of government and stick to being the quiet, reserved little grandma that she is. We're still getting letters from her begging for money, when we gave all we could afford during her campaign. She simply doesn't have what it takes to be a winner - that certain fire and true caring to win win win!
Nope, this soft spoken little lady needs to stay out of politics, because she can't play with the big boys. Her bad choices for media, pr, campaign mgmt., speech writing were all part of the reason she lost. She refused to make changes where they were needed. So, Sharron Angle, STAY HOME AND OUT OF POLITICS! We're not voting for you again! LOSER!
Ensign has given typical republican hypocrites a bad name and his complete lack of a conscience has set standards that may never be equaled again.
During the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal Ensign could always be found on the church pew's front row, head bowed in a perfectly choreographed display of born again righteousness, faith and, of course, 'real' American GOP family values.
When the vote for the articles of impeachment came up, it was only after much prayer and personal, one-on-one face time with Jesus that the senator stepped before TV cameras and said in his well-rehearsed, solemn manner that his lord had given him no choice but to vote in favor of removing the unclean president from office.
All of which makes him stranger than fiction but only an average Republican.
Liberal? We have had Republican Governors for 16 years.
I suggest the Republicans run Sharon Angle or Whiley, or maybe Kenneth Wegner. Since conservatives are better.
Well, this was hardly unexpected, even though I had hoped his over-weening arrogance would have kept him in the race. Here's hoping that Shelley Berkley decides NOT to run. If Dina Titus's accent hurt her so badly with Nevadans in her run for governor (and I think it did), Berkeley doesn't stand a chance with her grating whine of a voice. Too bad, as her name recognition is so much better than that of any of the other Democrats. Maybe if she opts out, Titus WILL run, as folks may be immunized with respect to her accent now (and it's not really that bad, it's just fairly amazing that it's still as strong as it is, given her education level and how long she's lived in NV). Plus, Titus is actually a pretty moderate Democrat, which ought to play well against Heller's extremism.
I wonder where Cornyn and his wisdom was during the Bush Administration that put America where it is today with the biggest government of all? Anyone remember TARP? If you don't just look at your money that was lost in your 401 K and wonder where it went as the thieves who stole your money (Wall Street) actually got richer. Cronyn is the poster child for what is wrong with America.
I will set the over/under on Ensign's wife leaving him at 6 months..any takers?
I am willing to take bets on whether the Republicans take control of the US Senate in the next election cycle.
Are there any lib Kool-Aid drinkers that want to play?
Heller is a democrat (according to Angle) ...therefore we want SHARON! In fact Heller is a communist and a Islamist, I even think he uses google, yes he is part and parcel of the Soros conspiracy to install a worldwide Islamic Caliphate and destroy America.
We want Sharon! She almost be Heller in the past as well.
Yes Sarge, once you payout on your losses from supporting that idiot Angle whole hog!
The Nevada Republican Party needs to carefully vet their potential candidates. If Heller passes through clean, then they should probably line up behind him.
Sharron Angle, as much as Dems would like to see her run, came through a tough statewide campaign clean. She has already been vetted, in a sense. If she can run a campaign where she actually fields questions, and speaks out effectively, she can win. Hard to fathom, but I think she has a chance.
"I am a registered Democrat & I approve this message: Today is truly a sad day for Nevadans. To Senator Ensign & his family: Thank you for your service.Your efforts on behalf of NV & it's citizens WILL NOT be forgotten.We wish you well, Sir."
Yes Ensign, there are consequences..I hope that your relgious beliefs are correct FOR YOU and you suffer eternal damnation!
I nominate mikegino's dog on either ticket to run. Be better than Dina Taxes and her nasal sounding accent. Shelley Berkley, she is getting closer to looking like a troll doll.
All the far left loons are out in force. Like vultures picking over the carcass.
You people re-elect Dirty Harry again & again. Then criticise everyone else. What great things has he done for Nevada in 24 years.
Try these accomplishments. Nevada #1 in unemployment, foreclosures & bankrupcy's. #50 in education.
No wonder this once great state is going downhill fast.
You beat up on Ensign for cheating on his wife. Like no other politician has ever done that.
Do Clinton, Edwards & Hart ring a bell?
I did not think Ensign was a good senator. He was very self serving. But that fits in with most politicians these days.
So be happy Ensign is gone. Maybe Berkeley will get his seat. Her & Harry will really finish this state off. Along with help from the unions & the illegal immigrants that they are in love with.
14.2 trillion in debt. Another 1.6 trillion this year. The country is going bankrupt. So I ask how is Obamas hope & change working out for all of you?
Don't forget queen Pelosi. I will tell you what is in the health bill, after we pass it...Brilliant.
What a disgrace to your state. Don't let the door hit you on the way out filanderer Ensign. I wonder if he had no money, would be prosecuted for his illegal coverup..
If the objective of conservatives is to get someone from Nevada elected to the U.S. Senate in 2012 - Sharron Angle better stay home.
She is the reason, along with the other incompetant candidate - O'Donnell in Delaware - that the Republicans did not come closer to a
majority in the U.S. Senate in the last election.
The Tea party should NOT run a candidate, unless they support the front-runner, Dean Heller. They FAILED to vet Sharron Angle properly; meaning, what her alleged conservative views were, did she have the power to draw voters, would she be a qualified Senator, etc.
People of Nevada are not stupid. But the need a good reason to vote for a candidate - any candidate. And if the Republican Party cannot get is act together, and stand behind someone like Dean Heller - and get him elected - then they don't deserve to hold a seat from Nevada in the U.S Senate.
This is true for any candidate, in any state. Many of the candidates that are running for office in the last two years, have never seen the inside of a law book, or held a significant office that would suggest knowledge and some experience with government activities.
If we just elect people based on their looks, or how loud they rant, we will get what we deserve in either party; a loose cannon, that will not serve the public need.
As for John Ensign, I believe he has probably suffered enough, and now must bow out in apparent disgrace. That is unfortunate because, during his terms in Congress, he did do some good work for the country.
As John said: "There are consequences to sin."
But GOD does, indeed, forgive.
It is people who have a hard time doing that.
WHEN is that turkey going to RESIGN?