Ensign Won't Resign, Because Of Reid

Sen. John Ensign (R-NV) has faced calls for his resignation since admitting to an affair in June, but now he's listing his fellow Nevadan, the electorally vulnerable Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D), as a reason for staying. On a Nevada radio show this morning, Ensign said his resignation would make it harder for Republicans to unseat Reid in 2010, the AP reports.

Polls show Reid trailing former UNLV point guard Danny Tarkanian by five to seven percentage points, but the GOP field is crowded: a primary could include both former Rep. Jon Porter (NV) and Nevada GOP Chairwoman and former state Sen. Sue Lowden.