by Joe Sudbay (DC) on 8/05/2009 12:31:00 PM
Texas Senator John Cornyn chairs the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC). He's in charge of electing Republican Senators and reelecting incumbents. During the last election cycle, Nevada's John Ensign headed up the NRSC.
Today, via The HIll, we learn that the current chair of the NRSC won't commit to supporting the old chair's reelection:
The chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee pointedly refused to endorse the re-election prospects of embattled Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.), who faces voters in 2012.
Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), who succeeded Ensign atop the GOP's Senate campaign arm, told reporters Wednesday he would not comment on races next cycle. Cornyn said Republicans have been giving Ensign space since he admitted in June to having an affair with a close family friend who worked on his campaign.
"Sen. Ensign and his family and everybody involved have been through a very tough time, and I think all of us have tried to give him and his family and all involved the space to work through that," Cornyn said when asked whether he would support Ensign's bid for a third term.
This is a pretty big deal. The NRSC is charged, first and foremost, with reelecting sitting Senators. It's a sign that GOP leaders think Ensign is in big, big trouble. Ensign is in big, big trouble. It's just surprising that Cornyn is admitting it
http://www.americablog.com/2009/08/gop-senate-campaign-chief-john-cornyn.html