Since the Soviet-era state was split into constituent parts in 1993, both the Czech Republic and Slovakia have been successful in canoeing.

BBC: Cheering on the Olympic underdogs

But whereas the Texan economy diversified into high-tech, Louisiana turned to gambling, with disastrous results: politicians were bought off by companies looking for licences for land and riverboat casinos, and the state became split between the pro-gambling populism of Mr Edwards and the anti-gambling sentiments of the good government crowd, most of them Republicans.

ECONOMIST: American politics

As of this week, voters in the state are evenly split between the candidates (both received 47% of a recent Rasmussen poll).

FORBES: Where Women Matter Most In Election 2012