Pat Dollard | Young Americans

by Steve Brusk - (CNN)

Hurricane Gustav, currently moving toward the Gulf of Mexico, may force Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal to skip next week’s Republican Convention.

Three years to the week since Hurricane Katrina battered the Louisiana coast, some forecast models suggest the storm could pose another threat to the state next week.

Jindal, reported to be on John McCain’s shortlist for VP, told reporters in Baton Rouge Tuesday afternoon he will not go to St Paul if the storm continues to move in a northwesterly track toward his state.

Considered to be a rising star in the Republican Party, Jindal is scheduled to deliver a high-profile address in prime time at the convention next Wednesday. But he said, “My first priority is with the state of Louisiana. Certainly if the storm continues to come our way, I’ll change my travel plans.”

Louisiana officials along with local and federal authorities face criticism for their preparation and response to Katrina in 2005, before Jindal was in office. He said his would make sure he was in place ahead of the storm’s potential arrival, saying, “Days before the storm, we’ll make sure that we and our local partners are fully prepared.”