Former Rep. Porter pulls name from Senate talk

Things keep getting worse for Nevada Republicans.

First, Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.) acknowledges having an affair. And now, according to CQ, former Rep. Jon Porter (R-Nev.) is officially out of the running for the race against Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.).

Porter wasn’t seen as an ideal option, after losing reelection to his House seat in 2008, but as other Republicans have turned down the race and the GOP has struggled to find a solid challenger, Porter began to look more an more attractive as a potential candidate

But he never showed serious interest in the race, and his decision is hardly a surprise.

It should be noted that Republican don’t necessarily need a big-name challenger against an incumbent with approval ratings that have ebbed below 40 percent. Under the right circumstances, sometimes all you need is a state legislator with the right profile (see: Oregon 2008 and North Carolina 2008).