EVER heard of Birch Evan Bayh III? The popular Indiana senator, better known by as Evan Bayh, has rocketed into contention as a possible vice-president to Democratic nominee Barack Obama.

His elevation came after the Obama campaign was found to include an unusually long stop in Indiana this week.

Senator Bayh (pronounced "Bye"), 52, has been on most pundits' lists even though he initially supported Hillary Clinton. The reasons? First, he has matinee looks but he's not going to upstage the main guy. Second, he was a popular governor of Indiana, a state which Senator Obama hopes he can win, and he is well known in neighbouring Ohio and Michigan.

Meanwhile a young Jewish congressman from Virginia has joined the shortlist to be Senator John McCain's running mate. Eric Cantor, 45, would be an exciting choice. A prodigious fund-raiser, supported by evangelical Christians and hard-line conservatives, he would shore up many of Mr McCain's weaknesses.

Anne Davies with Telegraph, London