Democrat Sen. Blanche Lincoln will seek a second term in 2004, after fending off a primary challenge from faces political neophyte Lisa Burks of Hot Springs in primary.

Lincoln beat well-known Attorney General Winston Bryant in a Democratic runoff en route to winning her first U.S. Senate term in 1998.

In the Republican primary, state Sen. Jim Holt beat out two other candidates for the chance to challenge Lincoln.

Lincoln is seeking to keep a seat that has had only four occupants since 1932, including Dale Bumpers and J. William Fulbright.

In the only congressional primary, term-limited state Rep. Marvin Parks of Greenbrier beat out Maumelle businessman Ed Garner for the Republican nomination to face incumbent Democrat Vic Snyder in the fall 2nd District race.

Pres. George Bush and Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry are both making frequent campaign stops in the state, along with airing campaign ads on television. Bush narrowly won the state in 2000 over then-Vice President Al Gore.

In 2002, Democratic Senator Mark Pryor was the only pickup nationally for the Democratic Party. He defeated one-term Sen. Tim Hutchinson, the state's first GOP Senator since Reconstruction.

Republican Gov. Mike Huckabee fended off a strong bid by longtime state treasurer Jimmie Lou Fisher, keeping his spot as governor, which he has held since 1996. But Huckabee's wife, Janet, lost her bid for secretary of state to Democratic Land Commissioner Charlie Daniels.