One more thing--Republicans have not always resigned when faced with sexual scandal. But when they haven't, they have usually lost their positions soon thereafter--partly since their own base feels very strongly about such things---more strongly than the Democratic base, by a lot.

Part of the record:

Daniel Crane R-IL admitted having sex with a 17-year old female page in 1980---censured in 1983, defeated in 1984 for re-election.

Donald Lukens---R-OH convicted of sexual encounter with 16 year old girl--resigned in 1990, before term ended--as Congress began investigating a separate allegation.


By the way, Barney Frank was reprimanded in 1990--and his crime was not with a page--so there was no exploitation of an underage person by somebody who had power over him.

Studds was also censured in 1983 for having sex with a 17-year old male page. But his constituents felt his conduct was not serious enough to warrant defeat. And it's up to the voters to decide that.

It's just that the leadership of a party tries to guess what the political impact of a sexual problem will be--and given the current rabid anti-homosexual climate-- especially due to Republican "religious conservatives"--it was quite clear Foley would have been defeated. You can bet Democrats would not have voted for him--for other reasons--primarily his support of Bush.