What happens when you find yourself in a bribery scandal the same year your party hopes to capitalize on an ethics war?

You get 12 people ready to try to take your seat.

U.S. Rep. William Jefferson, whose Washington office was raided by the FBI amid a federal bribery investigation, will face a dozen challengers in the November election.

The official sign-up period for Louisiana's Nov. 7 congressional election ended Friday. In Louisiana, there are no earlier party primaries; if no candidate gets more than 50 percent of the vote on Election Day, the top two go to a December runoff.

Although some are lesser-knowns, a few challengers carry significant name recognition, political ties and fundraising potential that could lead the eight-term Democrat into his first hard-fought race in years.

Several candidates said the New Orleans-based district needs someone focused on hurricane recovery, rather than a federal investigation that has embroiled Jefferson. Jefferson framed his opponents as opportunists who won't succeed in unseating him.

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