Are Mary Landrieu's reelection hopes in trouble? Her term is up in a couple of years, and the web site for the Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call gives her only 50-50 odds at winning a new one, perhaps enticing a well-financed Republican challenger, possibly even the governor, to get in the race.

LSU political science professor Wayne Parent says he only mostly agrees with that. Parent points out that Landrieu has built more than a decade of goodwill with voters.

Even though Landrieu is currently the only Louisiana Democrat elected by a statewide vote, Parent says you can't count her out.

"She's a very popular senator, and she has been because of her work for the state," Parent said. "She is someone who is well known for working for this state. The work she did after Hurricane Katrina really helped her gain reelection."

Landrieu's voting record often goes against the more liberal members of her party, but she did vote for the Obama health care reform law. And if increasingly conservative voters come to identify her more with President Obama, Roll Call speculates a popular Republican could mount a serious challenge.

"This state has been trending very Republican," notes Parent. "Republicans win most statewide offices. Mitt Romney won easily in this state. She's got her party identification going against her."

Republican Governor Bobby Jindal has been rumored to be interested in returning to Washington, D.C. Roll Call also speculates that Republican congressmen Bill Cassidy and Jeff Landry could be contenders.