Sen. Tom Daschle, the minority leader in the U.S. Senate and a burr in the side of Republicans since President Bush first came to office in 2001, is gone. Now a difficult job falls to another Democratic senator from a red state, Harry Reid.

Daschle’s efforts to derail the president’s agenda earned him a target on his back in the 2004 election. The president was gunning for him. Former Rep. John Thune, a conservative Republican who ran for the Senate two years ago, was gunning for him. Republicans from around the country were gunning for him. And, most importantly, Republicans from his own state were gunning for him.

In a Republican year, in a Republican state, the longtime Democratic incumbent was forcibly retired.

Reid has served as Daschle’s deputy in the Senate and is experienced at managing the arcane rules of the chamber for advantage. But he will lead a diminished Democratic contingent that is generally more liberal than he is while also having to defend himself against challengers in Nevada. He easily won re-election Tuesday, but six years ago he won by fewer than 500 votes.

Reid opposes abortion and gun control, putting him at odds with many of the senators he will lead.

Whether Democrats can remain relevant in a government completely controlled by Republicans may well rest on Reid’s shoulders. Talk about a tough job.