Post-Ensign committee issues up in the air

Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., who had been a top contender to fill a vacancy on the coveted Senate Finance Committee, has removed himself from consideration.

Isakson decided it would present a conflict of interest for the vice chairman of the Senate Ethics Comittee to take over the seat of departing Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., who is resigning because of an investigation by ... the Senate Ethics Committee.

So now the contenders for the GOP seat appear to be Sens. Jim DeMint of South Carolina and Mike Johanns of Nebraska.

DeMint "has seniority but a history of bucking his leadership and conference with what some consider self-aggrandizing behavior," according to the National Journal Hotline. "Johanns has less seniority but is more of a party loyalist."

There has been a bubble of speculation that perhaps McConnell might place senator-designate Dean Heller of Nevada on Finance, giving Heller that much of a higher platform from which to campaign to keep the seat in 2012.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has not commented. But a check of the Finance Committee roster shows that he has not appointed a freshman to the panel since he became leader in 2007, and one Senate veteran points out that generally "it's almost impossible for a rookie to get on that committee."

Ensign also sits on the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, the Budget Committee, and the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. All will have openings when he leaves.