Forget the shadow boxing in the presidential races - this Saturday sees a real election in the south, when Louisiana's open primary takes place to replace the retiring Democratic governor Kathleen Blanco.
Louisiana holds off-year gubernatorial elections, and its open primary system sees all candidates running in Saturday's state-wide contest. If the front-runner, Republican congressman Bobby Jindal, can win more than 50% of the vote then he will win without requiring a run-off in November.
Jindal is the up-and-coming star of the Republican party, with a great back-story: the son of immigrants from India, an Ivy League student and Rhodes scholar. Jindal came close to beating Blanco four years ago. This time, polls suggest he will win, if not this week then in November. And some are already talking about Jindal as the Republicans' Obama - and as one to watch for a 2012 presidential run.
