Republicans have another strong opportunity to pick up a Southern Senate seat with the vacancy created by the retirement of Democratic Sen. John Breaux. Breaux, who would be seeking his fourth term announced in December 2003 that he would end his 30-year political career. Two Congressmen are creating vacancies by competing for a shot at Breaux's seat _ Republican Rep. David Vitter and Democratic Rep. Chris John.

The 3rd district will also have an open seat with the retirement of Republican Rep. Wilbert Tauzin. Tauzin, who is struggling with intestinal cancer, announced early in 2004 that he would not seek re-election after 24 years in Congress. His son, Billy Tauzin III, has formed an exploratory committee with an eye toward filling the seat. Charlie Melancon, a Democrat and former president of the American Sugar Cane League, is the only announced candidate so far.

In early August, Rep. Rodney Alexander switched from being a Democrat to a Republican. Democrats reacted to the news by calling the first-term congressman a turncoat and a coward. President Bush welcomed Alexander to the GOP and wished him well.

Alexander said he had been struggling with his conservative votes for his entire term _ backing the Bush tax cuts as well as the war in Iraq _ and noted they had brought him criticism from Democrats.

In March, Alexander found himself under such intense pressure that he had to publicly announce he would remain a Democrat. He skipped that party's National Convention in Boston.

Louisiana elected its first female governor, Democrat Kathleen Babineaux Blanco, in 2003. The state was one of three to have gubernatorial elections in 2003. Republican Gov. Mike Foster could not run for a third term.

Blanco, who had most recently served as lieutenant governor under Foster, defeated conservative Indian-American Bobby Jindal, considered a political neophyte at the age of 32. Her win _ with 52 percent of the vote to Jindal's 48 percent _ scored a rare gain for Democrats in an election season that had seen a string of Republican victories. Blanco becomes the state's first Democratic governor since Foster was elected in 1995.

Jindal had been handpicked by Foster and was backed by President Bush. He had served as a Bush administration health official.

Blanco comes into office, much like many other governors, facing a budget crunch. The state places its budget hole between $300 million to more than $700 million.

In the November 2002 election, Democratic Senator Mary Landrieu was forced into a runoff after failing to get 50 percent of the vote in a race that included three Republicans. In the December runoff, she beat her Republican challenger, outgoing state Elections Commissioner Suzanne Haik Terrell.