John Ensign
Table of contents
Credit: Mark Wilson/ Getty Images
Current Position: U.S. Senator (since January 2001)
Why He Matters
At a Glance
Current Position: U.S. Senator (since January 2001)
Career History: Chairman of Senate Republican Policy Committee (January 2009 to June 2009); Chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (January 2007 to January 2009); Member of the United States Senate (January 2001 to present); Member of the United States House of Representatives (1995 to 1999); Veterinarian, Owner of South Shores Animal Hospital (1994 to 2001); Veterinarian, Owner of West Flamingo Animal Hospital (1987 to 1994)
Birthday: March 25, 1958
Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada
Alma Mater: Oregon State University, B.S., 1981; Colorado State University, D.V.M., 1985
Spouse: Darlene Sciaretta
Religion: Christian
DC Office: 119 Russell Senate Office Building, 202-224-6244
State Office: Las Vegas, 702-388-6605; Reno, 775-686-5770; Carson City, 775-885-9111
Ensign grew up in the casinos of Las Vegas and is now one of the primary defenders of them in the Senate. A veterinarian by trade, Ensign has been in a couple of very close elections in his career, winning by just more than 1,000 votes to join the U.S. House in 1994 and then losing to Sen. Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) by less than 500 votes in a 1998 Senate campaign.
In his relatively short Senate career, Ensign has focused primarily on local issues, working with Reid to oppose the use of Yucca Mountain as a dumping site for nuclear waste and to defend the Nevada gambling industry against regulation. But he continues to toe the Republican line on issues ranging from taxes and Iraq to abortion and stem-cell research.
Ensign is a conservative voice and a successful fundraiser. He came to the Senate in 2000, and, after winning easily in 2006, ran unopposed for the difficult job of National Republican Senatorial Committee chair for the 2008 elections.
In a tough year for the Republican Party, Ensign had to defend 23 seats, including a handful left open by prominent Republicans who were retiring. Republicans lost three open seats and five contested battles to finish with 41 senators to the Democrats' 59 (after Sen. Arlen Specter (Pa.) switch parties, that margin grew to 60-40. He did not run for NRSC chair for the next election cycle.
The Nevadan was considered a 2012 presidential hopeful (he is up for re-election then), but his prospects could be clouded by his June 2009 admission of an affair with a campaign staffer.Kane, Paul and Cillizza, Chris, The Washington Post, "Sen. Ensign Admits an Extramarital Affair," June 17, 2009 One day after admitting the affair, Ensign stepped down from his position as chairman of the GOP Policy Committee, the No. 4 post in GOP leadership. But he said he would defend his Senate seat in the 2012 election.
Path to Power
Ensign grew up one of three children to a single mother who worked in a casino as a “change girl,” giving quarters to slot machine players. She eventually married Mike Ensign, who became chairman and CEO of Mandalay Resort Group. Ensign decided to pursue a career as a veterinarian.
He graduated from Oregon State University in 1981 and then went to veterinary school at Colorado State. He returned to Las Vegas and opened his own veterinary practice with the city’s first 24-hour clinic. He helped manage a couple casinos for his stepfather and was active in local politics.
In 1994, he decided to challenge popular four-term Rep. James Bilbray (D-Nev.). Ensign was a hugely successful fundraiser, and 1994 was a good year to run as a Republican, even in a relatively Democratic district. He campaigned, like many Republicans that year, on a platform of smaller government and less taxes.“Who are they? The 87 House Frosh,” Roll Call, Nov. 14, 1994 Bilbray claimed victory on election night, but when the votes were finally counted, Ensign came out on top by a little more than 1,000 votes.
As a freshman, Ensign got a coveted seat on the House Ways and Means Committee, and he played an important role in convincing then Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) to separate the welfare and Medicaid issues and send a welfare bill to President Bill Clinton, who signed it. Roman, Nancy E., “Welfare bill debate to exclude Medicaid,” The Washington Times, July 18, 1996
Challenging Reid
In 1998, Ensign left the House to challenge Sen. Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) in an election that turned out to be even closer than his initial one. Both campaigns ran highly negative ads, trying to influence the opinions of the state’s hundreds of thousands of new residents, particularly in Ensign’s home district of Las Vegas.Cannon, Lou, “For Sen. Reid, a far different playing field; Demographic changes leave veteran Democrat in jeopardy,” The Washington Post, Sept. 25, 1998 The two candidates combined to spend nearly $8.5 million, and Reid won by 459 votes. After a hand recount that took weeks, Reid was still ahead, and Ensign conceded.Mercurio, John, “After Ensign relents, Nevada GOP plots year 2000 challenge to Senator Bryan,” Roll Call, Dec. 14, 1998
It didn’t take long for Ensign to get another shot at the Nevada electorate. Sen. Richard Bryan’s (D-Nev.) term was up in 2000, and he decided to retire. Ensign announced his intention to run for the seat the next day, just more than two months after his race with Reid ended.Mercurio, John, “Second chance Ex-Rep. Ensign wastes no time in joining race to succeed Bryan,” Roll Call, Feb. 22, 1999
The Democrats had difficulty getting a viable candidate to run against Ensign. Former Gov. Bob Miller (D) declined and Attorney General Frankie Sue Del Papa (D) pulled out after a couple of months of poor fundraising. A handful of other candidates decided not to run, and eventually, the nomination fell to Ed Bernstein, a personal injury lawyer who was a fixture on Las Vegas television sets. Bernstein spent $1.1 million of his own money but came up well short.
In the Senate, Ensign immediately began working with ex-rival Reid on Nevada issues like gambling and nuclear waste storage. After he was easily re-elected in 2006 against challenger Jack Carter, the son of former President Jimmy Carter (D), Ensign said of Reid, “He works his side of the aisle, and I work mine. Because of that working relationship and trust, we are able to get things done that frankly, members of the same party in some states can’t get done.”Almanac of American Politics, 2008 edition
Senate Leadership
In 2006, Ensign assumed the unenviable title of NRSC chairman, and was tasked with limiting Senate GOP losses in a disastrous year for his party. Republicans defended 23 seats, including five seats with no incumbent, compared with just 12 seats that his Democratic counterpart, Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), had to worry about. What’s more, Ensign had a hard time raking in campaign cash.Stephens Washington Bureau, “Senate GOP falls short on fundraising,” Las Vegas Review-Journal (Nevada), Aug. 23, 2008; Republicans lost eight seats in the 2008 elections, giving the Democrats 59 senators before Sen. Arlen Specter (Pa.) switched from the Republican Party to the Democratic Party, giving Democrats a filibuster-proof 60 votes in the Senate. But Republicans didn't lay too much blame on Ensign,who faced near-impossible circumstances. Instead of leading the NRSC again for the 2010 election cycle, Ensign took over as chair of the Senate GOP Policy Committee, the fourth-highest position in Republican leadership. His successor at the NRSC is Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas).Biographical and career data taken from Almanac of American Politics, 2008 edition, and John Ensign official Web site
2012 Prospects and Extramarital affair
Ensign is said to be interested in a possible presidential run in 2012, when he is up for re-election to the Senate. He made his first trip to Iowa, the home of the first presidential battleground, in spring 2009.
But it remains to be seen whether his admission of an affair with a former campaign staffer — who is married to one of Ensign's Senate aides — will hurt him with GOP voters. Ensign admitted the affair in June 2009; the aides no longer work in for him. The affair is said to have started in December 2007 and ended in August 2008. "I love my husband," said Ensign's wife, Darlene, said at the time of the admission.Kane, Paul and Cillizza, Chris, The Washington Post, "Sen. Ensign Admits an Extramarital Affair," June 17, 2009
In April 2008, Ensign's parents, who made a great deal of money in the casino business, each made $12,000 donations to Cynthia Hampton, who had the affair with Ensign, her husband Doug Hampton, and each of their two children, for a total of $96,000. Ensign's office released a statement saying, "his parents decided to make the gifts out of concern for the well-being of long-time family friends during a difficult time."Roth, Zachary, "Ensign still bringing dirty laundry home to be washed," Talking Points Memo, July 9, 2009 The statement came shortly after Doug Hampton did an interview in which he said Ensign paid Cynthia Hampton more than $25,000 in severance after she stopped working as the treasurer for his PAC, an action that would be illegal under campaign finance law. If it were a gift, the money would not be subject to campaign finance laws. Hampton also said Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) knew about the affair and tried to convince Ensign to end it and help the Hamptons pay off their house so they could start a new life away from him.Coolican, J. Patrick, "Hampton speaks publicly, says Ensign paid severance," Las Vegas Sun, July 8, 2009
One day after admitting to the affair, Ensign resigned as chairman of the Senate Republican Policy Committee. That position, which made Ensign the fourth-highest ranking member of the GOP Senate leadership, gave the senator a chance to increase his visibility on a national level.Kane, Paul, "Capitol Briefing: Ensign steps down from GOP leadership post," The Washington Post, June 17, 2009
Though his presidential hopes would seem to be hurt by the scandal, Ensign said he is resigned to running again for Senate when his term ends in 2012. "I'm going to work to earn their respect back," Ensign said.Thrush, Glenn, "Ensign says he'll run in 2012," Politico.com, July 14, 2009
The Issues
Ensign is a stalwart Republican vote on issues ranging from taxes to social issues to national defense. A longtime member of the evangelical Christian group Promise Keepers, Ensign opposes stem-cell research and sponsored a proposal in 2006 that would have made it more difficult for a minor to cross state lines to receive an abortion.Batt, Tony, “Senate passes Ensign authored abortion legislation,” Las Vegas Review-Journal (Nevada), July 30, 2006 During the 110th Congress, he voted with the Republican Party 87.5 percent of the time, splitting with the party on a couple of issues that have a direct impact on his home state of Nevada.Washington Post Votes Database
Iraq and Torture
When he ran for re-election in 2006, Ensign continued to back President Bush’s war strategy at a time when many other Republicans were trying to distance themselves from Bush, and he has continued to support the troop surge and oppose a timeline for withdrawal of troops.Batt, Tony, “Ensign sees long stay in Afghanistan,” Las Vegas Review-Journal (Nevada) Feb. 13, 2008 Ensign was in Iraq in December 2003 when Saddam Hussein was captured. Ensign also vigorously opposed a 2006 Senate bill to limit interrogation of suspected terrorists, saying it put “terrorist rights over the interests of the American people.”Tetrault, Steve, “Ensign opposes interrogation bill,” Las Vegas Review-Journal (Nevada), Sept. 16, 2006 He said that he did not consider sleep deprivation or water-boarding to be torture.
Nevada Issues (Gambling and Nuclear Waste)
A politician can’t get far in Nevada without backing a couple of key issues, and Ensign has consistently fought for the Nevada gaming industry and against allowing nuclear waste to be housed at Yucca Mountain. Shortly after Ensign got to the Senate, then-Commerce Committee Chairman John McCain (R-Ariz.) introduced an amendment that would have banned betting on college sports. Ensign fought against the ban and was able to kill it.“Ensign says he can block Nevada college sports bet ban,” Associated Press, May 8, 2003 The proposal has floundered in the Senate ever since.Batt, Tony, “College betting ban resurfaces,” Las Vegas Review-Journal (Nevada), March 19, 2005 But Ensign did vote, with Reid, a ban on internet gambling, to “protect children.”Batt, Tony, “Reid against Frist’s efforts,” Las Vegas Review-Journal (Nevada), Sept. 20, 2006
In February 2002, President George W. Bush sought to designate Yucca Mountain a permanent nuclear waste site, and Ensign and Reid could not gather enough votes to stop the bill, which became law in July 2002. But there are lawsuits pending, and approval from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission could take years. Meanwhile, both Ensign and Reid have promised Nevada voters that they will not allow nuclear waste in their home state.Rogers, Keith, “Lawmakers join to fight project,” Las Vegas Review-Journal (Nevada), Dec. 20, 2006 They have worked to stop funding for the site and have used other methods such as putting holds on nominees for the Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management.Tetreault, Steve, “Senators block Bush choice,” Las Vegas Review-Journal (Nevada), Nov. 17, 2005 They have also spent time trying to convince non-Nevada lawmakers that transporting nuclear waste to Nevada is dangerous.Rogers, Keith, “Nevada’s senators challenge latest nuclear waste transportation policy,” Las Vegas Review-Journal (Nevada), Aug. 19, 2005
The Economy
Ensign supported the $700 billion bailout of Wall Street in the fall of 2008, saying “this is too critical to the American people.”Whaley, Sean, “Obama urges 10,000 in Reno to support bailout plan,” Las Vegas Review-Journal (Nevada), Oct. 1, 2008
He pointed to several construction projects in Nevada that were having trouble finishing because of difficulty getting credit and said not doing anything would have had a negative effect on jobs and credit in the state.
The Network
After joining the Senate, Ensign formed an unusually strong relationship with fellow Nevada senator Harry M. Reid (D), against whom Ensign had run a particularly tough campaign in 1998. Former Ensign Chief of Staff Scott Bensing became NRSC executive director when Ensign became the NRSC chair. Bensing was listed in Roll Call’s Fabulous Fifty Congressional staffers list in 2008.
Ensign is also one of many boarders at C Street, a townhouse frequented by Christian lawmakers who counsel each other and study the Bible. The townhouse is run by an Arlington-based network of Christian non-profits known as "The Fellowship", which seeks to advance its values through political ties. Other residents of the house include Sens. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), DeMint(R-S.C..), and Rep. Heath Shuler (D-N.C.). Former residents are ex-House Member and South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford (R).Belts, Emily and Pitts, Edward Lee, The World Magazine, "The C Street House," June 26, 2009
Footnotes
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