Commentary: Much to doubt about Sen. John Ensign

Does anyone doubt that the Ensign scandal - especially after the explosive new details emerged last week in the New York Times about ethical, if not technically illegal, actions on the part of Sen. John Ensign after his affair with his best friend's wife was revealed - is now in Energizer Bunny mode and is just going to keep going and going and going?

Does anyone doubt that this is no longer a "personal matter" about sex?

Does anyone doubt that this scandal will never go away as long as Sen. Ensign continues to refuse to answer legitimate questions about his questionable behavior, such as the $96,000 payoff to his mistress from his mother and father, and setting up his mistress's husband with lobbying gigs which appear to have violated lobbying rules?

Does anyone doubt that Sen. Ensign will continue hiding from the press, thus keeping the story alive?

Does anyone doubt that CREW - Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington - will continue hounding Sen. Ensign over this scandal like a dog on a bone?

Does anyone doubt that Nevada and Republicans will continue to be the butt of late-night jokes (A rabbi, a priest and John Ensign walk into a bar...) as the Ensign scandal continues to make front-page news?

Does anyone doubt that this Ensign scandal is going to hurt Nevada Republican candidates up and down the ballot next year, especially those running for the U.S. Senate against Harry Reid?

Does anyone doubt that Rep. Dean Heller could ably represent Nevada in the U.S. Senate without the distractions and limitations Sen. Ensign now has, and will continue to have, for the duration of his term in office?

Does anyone doubt that Rep. Dean Heller would vote, from a conservative standpoint, at least as well as, if not even better than, Sen. John Ensign were he in that seat?

Does anyone doubt that if Sen. Ensign was to resign and Rep. Heller was to take his place, that both the state of Nevada, as well as the Nevada Republican Party, would be much better off?

Does anyone doubt that Sen. Ensign will, as is his wont, only think about himself and cling to his Senate seat rather than do the right thing for his state and his party by resigning?

Does anyone doubt that Nevada Republican leaders and GOP elected officials won't call for Sen. Ensign to step aside for the good of the state and the party?

Is anyone else asking why not?

And for those who say Democrats around the country have also been caught in such shenanigans so why don't I call on them to resign, I have only this to say: We should expect better out of Republicans and Nevadans. Shouldn't we?

• Chuck Muth is president of Citizen Outreach, a limited-government public policy organization.