The Senate opted to leave town this week for its five-week August recess without calling a vote on President Obama’s nominee to head the Federal Housing Finance Agency. Two weeks ago, Rep. Mel Watt’s nomination cleared the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee along a straight party-line vote, with some key Republicans vowing to block the North Carolina Democrat’s confirmation. Until the mid-week announcement by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-NV, that Watt’s nomination would not be taken up for debate before Congress returns from its recess on September 9, Capitol Hill watchers were wary of another potential nomination showdown between Dems and the GOP.