WHO WILL MAKE the biggest political splash of 2005? Will it be an Indian-American Rhodes Scholar from Louisiana? Or the star of the Democratic convention? Or maybe a conservative Republican winning the New Jersey governorship? Who knows. But here’s a list of five politicians to keep an eye on during the coming year.

RICHARD BURR. Few Senate candidates–from either party–ran a shrewder, more effective campaign than North Carolina congressman Richard Burr. The GOP nominee trailed his Democratic opponent, ex-Clinton chief of staff Erskine Bowles, by double digits for months. As late as mid September, one poll gave Bowles a 10-point lead. But Burr was patient. His campaign had judged North Carolina voters to be late-deciders. In the end, Burr’s strategy paid off. He unleashed a surge of TV and radio ads after Labor Day. In particular, Burr targeted the so-called Jessecrats–conservative Democrats in eastern North Carolina who are the perennial swing voters in statewide elections. He soon overtook Bowles and never lost ground. On November 2, Burr won by five points–a veritable landslide given where he stood just seven weeks earlier. The senator-elect is attractive, well-spoken, and relatively conservative. GOP pollster Frank Luntz calls Burr “one of the best five communicators that the Republicans have in Washington.” He’s a former college football player (from Wake Forest) to boot.