06/19/09

RENO (AP) _ Gov. Jim Gibbons says he feels ``very badly'' for
U.S. Sen. John Ensign and his wife, Darlene, after the senator
admitted having an extramarital affair with a former campaign
worker.

Gibbons, who's divorcing first lady Dawn Gibbons, offered
support to his fellow Republican, but says he has not talked with
Ensign since the senator's Tuesday announcement of the nine-month
affair with Cindy Hampton last year.

The governor says Ensign and his family have ``a lot of work to
do to get through this,'' but declined to speculate on how the
affair could affect Ensign's political future.

Ensign, in his second term, has said he intends to remain in the
Senate.

Ensign's admission comes on top of a string of disclosures and
allegations about Gibbons. In recent court documents related to
divorce proceedings, his wife, Dawn, accused him of a history of
infidelity.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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