Sen. Ensign to Announce Retirement

Republican Sen. John Ensign is scheduled to make an announcement about “his political future in the United States Senate,” and it probably won’t be that he’s running for president. Congressional sources say the scandal stricken senator will announce his intentions not to run for re-election to his Nevada Senate seat in 2012. Ensign was once talked about as a possible presidential contender, but ran into trouble in 2009 when he admitted to having an extramarital affair with a campaign aide whose husband was also Ensign’s deputy chief of staff, and then setting his mistress’ husband up with a lobbying job and having his parents pay the couple $96,000. No other candidates have officially announced their intention to run for Ensign’s seat, but House members Democrat Shelley Berkley and Republican Dean Heller have said they’re considering it.