FILE - This Oct. 13, 2009 file photo shows Senate Finance Committee member Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev. on Capitol Hill in Washington during the committee's hearing regarding health care reform. Ensign, dogged by ethics allegations and questions about an extramarital affair with a former aide, has vowed not to resign. But if Nevada's junior senator were to leave office, voluntarily or otherwise, the timing of his departure could set up a dizzying candidate shuffle and help determine Republican chances of retaining the seat. AP Photo logo AP Photo 2 months ago

FILE - This Oct. 13, 2009 file photo shows Senate Finance Committee member Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev. on Capitol Hill in Washington during the committee's hearing regarding health care reform. Ensign, dogged by ethics allegations and questions about an extramarital affair with a former aide, has vowed not to resign. But if Nevada's junior senator were to leave office, voluntarily or otherwise, the timing of his departure could set up a dizzying candidate shuffle and help determine Republican chances of retaining the seat.

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  1. Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., and Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev. walk outside of the Senate Chamber on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2009.
  2. WASHINGTON - NOVEMBER 19: Sen. John Ensign (R-NV) participates in a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing on Capitol Hill on November 19, 2009 in Washington, DC. The committee is hearing testimony on the recent attack at Fort Hood that left 13 people killed and 30 wounded.
  3. WASHINGTON - NOVEMBER 19: Sen. John Ensign (R-NV) participates in a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing on Capitol Hill on November 19, 2009 in Washington, DC. The committee is hearing testimony on the recent attack at Fort Hood that left 13 people killed and 30 wounded.
  4. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee member Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., listens to testimony on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Nov. 19, 2009, during the committee's hearing on an assessment of the Fort Hood deaths.
  5. WASHINGTON - OCTOBER 13: Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) (L) thanks Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME) (C) for voting in favor of health care reform legislation as committee Republicans Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) (2nd L) and Sen. John Ensign (R-NV) (R) watch, on Capitol Hill October 13, 2009 in Washington, DC. Snowe expressed reservations for the groundbreaking legislation but said that her vote was to move the process forward.'But when history calls, history calls and I happen to think that the consequences of inaction dictate the urgency of Congress to demonstrate its capacity to solve the monumental issues of our time,' she said.
  6. FILE - This Oct. 13, 2009 file photo shows Senate Finance Committee member Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev. on Capitol Hill in Washington during the committee's hearing regarding health care reform. Ensign, dogged by ethics allegations and questions about an extramarital affair with a former aide, has vowed not to resign. But if Nevada's junior senator were to leave office, voluntarily or otherwise, the timing of his departure could set up a dizzying candidate shuffle and help determine Republican chances of retaining the seat.
  7. US President Barack Obama speaks during an event celebrating the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate, at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Washington, DC, on October 14, 2009. Dedicated to improving civic education and educating about the role and importance of the US Senate and named after the late Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy, the Institute will be located on the campus of the University of Massachusetts.
  8. U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) puts his arm around Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi as they speak about their meeting between Congressional leadership and President Barack Obama on Afghanistan and Pakistan at the White House in Washington, October 6, 2009.
  9. WASHINGTON - OCTOBER 01: Ranking member U.S. Senate Finance Committee member Chuck Grassley (R-IA) listens during a hearing on Capitol Hill October 1, 2009 in Washington, DC. The committee continued to vote on amendments to healthcare reform legislation.
  10. WASHINGTON - OCTOBER 01: Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME) speaks during a hearing before the U.S. Senate Finance Committee on Capitol Hill October 1, 2009 in Washington, DC. The committee continued to vote on amendments to healthcare reform legislation.
  11. WASHINGTON - OCTOBER 01: U.S. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT) (2nd R) talks to Sen. John Rockefeller (D-WV) (L) and Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) during a break in a hearing on Capitol Hill October 1, 2009 in Washington, DC. The committee continued to vote on amendments to healthcare reform legislation.
  12. WASHINGTON - OCTOBER 01: Ranking U.S. Senate Finance Committee member Chuck Grassley (R-IA) (C) speaks as (L-R) Sen. John Rockefeller (D-WV), Committee Chairman Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT), Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME) listen during a hearing on Capitol Hill October 1, 2009 in Washington, DC. The committee continued to vote on amendments to healthcare reform legislation.
  13. WASHINGTON - SEPTEMBER 21: Former Massachusetts Governor and GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney addresses a forum of the Foreign Policy Initiative at the W Hotel September 21, 2009 in Washington, DC. Romney said the Obama Administration's foreign policy has alienated allies like Poland and encouraged autocrats like Vladamir Putin in Russia.
  14. WASHINGTON - SEPTEMBER 21: Former Massachusetts Governor and GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney has a microphone attached to his tie before addressing a forum of the Foreign Policy Initiative at the W Hotel September 21, 2009 in Washington, DC. Romney said the Obama Administration's foreign policy has alienated allies like Poland and encouraged autocrats like Vladamir Putin in Russia.
  15. WASHINGTON - SEPTEMBER 21: Former Massachusetts Governor and GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney addresses a forum of the Foreign Policy Initiative at the W Hotel September 21, 2009 in Washington, DC. Romney said the Obama Administration's foreign policy has alienated allies like Poland and encouraged autocrats like Vladamir Putin in Russia.
  16. WASHINGTON - SEPTEMBER 21: Former Massachusetts Governor and GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney addresses a forum of the Foreign Policy Initiative at the W Hotel September 21, 2009 in Washington, DC. Romney said the Obama Administration's foreign policy has alienated allies like Poland and encouraged autocrats like Vladamir Putin in Russia.

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  1. Christopher Hall stands during his arraignment in Providence, R.I., District Court Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2009, on charges of shooting and wounding three police officers during a drug raid Monday night.
  2. A volunteer of Samaritan's Feet organization talks to an inmate after washing her feet at Santa Monica female prison in Lima, December 15, 2009. Volunteers of the organisation washed the feet of about 40 women inmates and donated 400 shoes during an event at the prison. The children of inmates are permitted to stay with their mothers till they are three years old. There are about 50 children in the prison.
  3. Boeing test pilot Mike Carriker gives a thumbs-up after landing the 787 Dreamliner after its maiden flight, at Boeing Field in Seattle, Washington, December 15, 2009. Boeing Co completed the first test flight of its new lightweight carbon and titanium Dreamliner, but the flight was cut short because of bad weather. The flight was more than two years behind schedule because of manufacturing and design problems.
  4. Canada's Governor General Michaelle Jean smiles as she speaks during a meeting with youths at the Omar Dengo Foundation, in San Jose December 15, 2009.
  5. A child of an inmate walks at Santa Monica women's prison in Lima, December 15, 2009. Volunteers of the organisation washed the feet of about 40 women inmates and donated 400 shoes during an event at the prison. The children of inmates are permitted to stay with their mothers till they are three years old. There are about 50 children in the prison.
  6. NEW YORK - DECEMBER 15: (L-R) Phillip Caputo, Petra Nemcova and NASDAQ Senior Vice President for Global Software Development Brad Vopni pose after ringing the closing bell at the NASDAQ MarketSite on December 15, 2009 in New York City.
  7. WASHINGTON - DECEMBER 15: Warner Music Group CEO Edgar Bronfman participates in a roundtable discussion about enforcing laws against the piracy of intellectual property with senior Obama Administration officials, law enforcement officials and cabinet members December 15, 2009 in Washington, DC. During the meeting, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden expressed the administration�s continued commitment to enforcing international copyright laws and making sure that intellectual property rights are respected.
  8. LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 15: A Chihuahua waits adoption at a Los Angeles Department of Animal Services shelter on December 15, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. Chihuahuas make up about a third of the dogs at many California shelters, so many that some shelters are shipping Chihuahuas to other states to find homes. A shelter in Oakland sent about 100 to Arizona, Oregon and Washington. Recently, a Los Angeles city shelter flew 25 Chihuahuas to Nashua, New Hampshire where all found homes within a day through the local Humane Society. Experts have blamed the glut of abandoned Chihuahuas in California on the influence of pop culture, a bad economy, puppy mills and backyard breeders. Fans sometimes abandon the dogs when they are no longer new and cute to them or when expensive vet bills start to add up. The tiny dogs are named for the Mexican state of Chihuahua.
  9. LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 15: Chihuahuas await adoption at a Los Angeles Department of Animal Services shelter on December 15, 2009 in os Angeles, California. December 15, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. Chihuahuas make up about a third of the dogs at many California shelters, so many that some shelters are shipping Chihuahuas to other states to find homes. A shelter in Oakland sent about 100 to Arizona, Oregon and Washington. Recently, a Los Angeles city shelter flew 25 Chihuahuas to Nashua, New Hampshire where all found homes within a day through the local Humane Society. Experts have blamed the glut of abandoned Chihuahuas in California on the influence of pop culture, a bad economy, puppy mills and backyard breeders. Fans sometimes abandon the dogs when they are no longer new and cute to them or when expensive vet bills start to add up. The tiny dogs are named for the Mexican state of Chihuahua.
  10. WASHINGTON - DECEMBER 15: Conservative FreedomWorks chairman Dick Armey addresses a health care reform protest on December 15, 2009 in Washington, DC. Demonstrators, many bused in from around the country, protested next to the Capitol building hoping to derail Senate health care legislation.
  11. MILAN, ITALY - DECEMBER 15: Steve Morse of Deep Purple performs at Mediolanum Forum on December 15, 2009 in Milan, Italy.
  12. Wolverhampton Wanderers' goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann is seen during his team's 3-0 defeat against Manchester United during their English Premier League soccer match at Old Trafford Stadium, Manchester, England, Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2009. 20 7864 9121 or EMAIL info@football-dataco.com FOR DETAILS.
  13. Manchester United's Dimitar Berbatov, center, fights for the ball against Wolverhampton Wanderers' David Jones, right, during their English Premier League soccer match at Old Trafford Stadium, Manchester, England, Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2009. 20 7864 9121 or EMAIL info@football-dataco.com FOR DETAILS.
  14. Manchester United's Michael Owen, center, fights for the ball against Wolverhampton Wanderers' Michael Mancienne, right, during their English Premier League soccer match at Old Trafford Stadium, Manchester, England, Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2009. 20 7864 9121 or EMAIL info@football-dataco.com FOR DETAILS.
  15. Manchester United's Luis Antonio Valencia, right, scores against Wolverhampton Wanderers during their English Premier League soccer match at Old Trafford Stadium, Manchester, England, Tuesday Dec. 15, 2009. 20 7864 9121 or EMAIL info@football-dataco.com FOR DETAILS.
  16. Manchester United's Dimitar Berbatov, center right, sets up teammate Luis Antonio Valencia, center left, for their team's third goal against Wolverhampton Wanderers as George Elokobi, right, and Matthew Hill look on during their English Premier League soccer match at Old Trafford Stadium, Manchester, England, Tuesday Dec. 15, 2009. 20 7864 9121 or EMAIL info@football-dataco.com FOR DETAILS.