FIRMLY IN CONTROL

SOUTH DAKOTA

There's a pretty good chance that Senate Minority Leader Daschle has actually shaken hands with each of the 4,500 or so voters who made the difference in his historic loss to Republican challenger Thune. South Dakota's population is that small, and Daschle, 56, has worked that hard since he started in politics 30 years ago as an aide to Democratic Sen. James Abourezk.

But Daschle's long career, which included four terms in the House and three in the Senate, could now be over, thanks to Thune's tough and effective campaign. The three-term Republican congressman, 43, spent millions casting Daschle as a Washington insider who had lost touch with his home state. Daschle spent millions more insisting that his position on the national stage was a good thing for South Dakota. The race became a holy cause for both parties, which poured in money. In all, the candidates went through $25 million, and Thune, who lost to Sen. Tim Johnson in 2002 by just 574 votes, ended up with 51 percent of the 391,000 votes cast.

FLORIDA

George W. Bush knew he would need all the help he could get in Florida. So last year, when the Democrats' Bob Graham announced he wouldn't seek re-election to the Senate, the president readily gave his blessing to Housing and Urban Development Secretary Mel Martinez to run for the Florida seat. It turned out to be a smart bet. The Cuban-born Martinez, 58, who landed in the United States 43 years ago speaking no English, quit his cabinet post and set to work making an all-out run for the Senate. He emphasized his close ties to the president, while his Democratic rival, former University of South Florida president Betty Castor, 63, played up her independence. After a close count that lasted until almost lunchtime Wednesday, Martinez emerged victorious with 3,552,000 votes, and Castor conceded.

COLORADO