Of all the unbelievable flapdoodle Sen. John Ensign (R-Nevada) spit out in his interview with Alan Stock on KXNT radio yesterday morning, the notion that he’s helping the Republican Party by not resigning so the GOP can focus on taking out Harry Reid without the distraction of two U.S. Senate campaigns on he ballot really took the cake.
If Ensign resigns, the logical choice and odds are Gov. Jim Gibbons would appoint Rep. Dean Heller to fill the vacancy. (BTW, Heller voted against the TARP bailout; Ensign voted for it.) As an already-known statewide candidate and sitting Member of Congress, Heller would be in a strong position to hold onto the seat, especially as the de facto incumbent, without detracting from the Reid race.
The reality is that John Ensign is going to hurt Republican candidates up and down the ballot for the duration of Campaign 2010 if he doesn’t resign. And he won’t. Because this isn’t about helping the Republican Party to defeat Reid. This is about helping John Ensign stay in power. With John Ensign it’s always about John Ensign.
Why are Nevada Republican leaders and candidates continuing to defend this guy? Do they have an electoral death wish?
