Leadership elections made necessary by the resignation of Sen. Trent Lott, the Senate Minority Whip, produced a second chance for one senator today. Tennessee Sen. Lamar Alexander, who lost the Whip race to Lott last year, narrowly edged out North Carolina Sen. Richard Burr to win the chairmanship of the Republican Conference.

Arizona Sen. Jon Kyl, the previous Republican Conference chair, was elected unanimously to Lott's vacant Whip position.

Alexander's election over Burr is another victory for established old lions of the Republican caucus over younger, more conservative members like Burr, South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint and Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn. Still, the narrow margin by which Alexander won suggests the young pups will find success sooner rather than later.