Bobby Jindal
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Piyush "Bobby" Jindal (born June 10, 1971) is an American politician who served as the 55th
Governor of Louisiana A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
from 2008 to 2016. The only living former Louisiana governor, Jindal also served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives and Chairman of the
Republican Governors Association The Republican Governors Association (RGA) is a Washington, D.C.-based 527 organization founded in 1961, consisting of U.S. state and territorial Republican governors. The Republican Governors Association is dedicated to one primary objective: e ...
. In 1995, Jindal was appointed secretary of the
Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals The Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) (French: Département de La Santé de Louisiane) , formerly known as the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (French: Département de La Santé et des Hôpitaux) , is a state agency of Louisiana, h ...
. In 1999, he was appointed president of the
University of Louisiana System The University of Louisiana System (UL System) is a public university system in the U.S. state of Louisiana. It enrolls more students than the other three public university systems in the state. Its headquarters are in the Claiborne Building in ...
. At 28, Jindal became the youngest person to hold the position. In 2001, President
George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...
appointed Jindal as principal adviser to the
U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services The United States secretary of health and human services is the head of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, and serves as the principal advisor to the president of the United States on all health matters. The secretary is ...
. Jindal first ran for governor of Louisiana in
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, but narrowly lost in the
run-off election The two-round system (TRS), also known as runoff voting, second ballot, or ballotage, is a voting method used to elect a single candidate, where voters cast a single vote for their preferred candidate. It generally ensures a majoritarian resu ...
to Democratic candidate
Kathleen Blanco Kathleen Marie Blanco (née Babineaux; December 15, 1942 – August 18, 2019) was an American politician who served as the 54th Governor of Louisiana from January 2004 to January 2008. A member of the Democratic Party, she was the first and, ...
. In 2004, he was elected to the
U.S. House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...
, becoming the second
Indian American Indian Americans or Indo-Americans are citizens of the United States with ancestry from India. The United States Census Bureau uses the term Asian Indian to avoid confusion with Native Americans, who have also historically been referred to ...
in Congress, and he was reelected in 2006. To date, he is the only Indian-American Republican to have ever served in Congress. Jindal ran for governor again in the 2007 election and won. Jindal was re-elected in
2011 File:2011 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: a protester partaking in Occupy Wall Street heralds the beginning of the Occupy movement; protests against Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who was killed that October; a young man celebrate ...
in a landslide, winning more than 65 percent of the vote. He was the first
Indian American Indian Americans or Indo-Americans are citizens of the United States with ancestry from India. The United States Census Bureau uses the term Asian Indian to avoid confusion with Native Americans, who have also historically been referred to ...
governor, and the only one until Nikki Haley was elected
Governor of South Carolina The governor of South Carolina is the head of government of South Carolina. The governor is the '' ex officio'' commander-in-chief of the National Guard when not called into federal service. The governor's responsibilities include making year ...
in
2010 File:2010 Events Collage New.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2010 Chile earthquake was one of the strongest recorded in history; The Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland disrupts air travel in Europe; A scene from the opening ceremony of ...
. On June 24, 2015, Jindal announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination in the 2016 presidential election. He suspended his campaign in November 2015, subsequently announcing his support for
Marco Rubio Marco Antonio Rubio (born May 28, 1971) is an American politician and lawyer serving as the senior United States senator from Florida, a seat he has held since 2011. A member of the Republican Party, he served as Speaker of the Florida Hous ...
. He finished his term as governor in January 2016.


Early life and education

Piyush Jindal was born on June 10, 1971 in
Baton Rouge Baton Rouge ( ; ) is a city in and the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-sma ...
,
Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...
to immigrant Punjabi
Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
parents. He is the first of two sons of Raj (née Gupta) and Amar Jindal, from
Punjab Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising ...
,
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
. His father is a
civil engineer A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering – the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructure while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing ...
and graduate of
Guru Nanak Dev University The university is Entitled by University Grants Commission to offer higher studies degree courses online. Guru Nanak Dev University's campus is spread over near village of Kot Khalsa, nearly west of the Amritsar, next to Khalsa College, A ...
and Punjab University. His mother is a graduate of
Rajasthan University University of Rajasthan is a public and state university in Jaipur, Rajasthan, India and is one of the oldest universities in the state. It was set up on 8 January 1947 as the University of Rajputana and was given its current name in 1956. ...
and worked in nuclear physics at the
Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) is a public medical university in Chandigarh, India. It is an ' Institute of National Importance'. It has educational, medical research, and training facilities for its stude ...
in
Chandigarh Chandigarh () is a planned city in India. Chandigarh is bordered by the state of Punjab to the west and the south, and by the state of Haryana to the east. It constitutes the bulk of the Chandigarh Capital Region or Greater Chandigarh, which al ...
. Before migrating to the United States, both his parents were lecturers at an Indian engineering college. At the time of their move to the U.S., Raj Jindal was to be a doctoral candidate in physics. They left
Malerkotla Malerkotla is a city and district headquarters of Malerkotla district in the Indian state of Punjab. It was the seat of the eponymous princely state during the British Raj. The state acceded to the union of India in 1947 and was merged with ...
,
Punjab Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising ...
in January 1971, six months before their son was born. Jindal's paternal grandfather was a merchant from Khanpur,
Samrala Samrala is a city and a municipal council in Ludhiana district in the Indian States and territories of India, state of Punjab (India), Punjab. It is about 35 km east of the district headquarters Ludhiana, on the highway to Chandigarh. Samral ...
and his maternal grandfather was a
Ferozepur Firozpur, also known as Ferozepur, is a city on the banks of the Sutlej River in Firozpur District, Punjab, India. After the partition of India in 1947, it became a border town on the India–Pakistan border with memorials to soldiers who died ...
banker. The family settled near
Louisiana State University Louisiana State University (officially Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, commonly referred to as LSU) is a public land-grant research university in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The university was founded in 1860 nea ...
. Jindal attended
Baton Rouge Magnet High School Baton Rouge Magnet High School (BRMHS or Baton Rouge High) is a public magnet school in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States, founded in 1880. It is part of the East Baton Rouge Parish School System with a student body of approximately 1500 stude ...
, graduating in 1988. While in high school, he competed in tennis tournaments, started various enterprises such as a computer newsletter, retail candy business, and a mail-order software company. He spent free time working in the stands at
LSU football The LSU Tigers football program, also known as the Fighting Tigers, represents Louisiana State University in college football. The Tigers compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and ...
games. Jindal graduated from
Brown University Brown University is a private research university in Providence, Rhode Island. Brown is the seventh-oldest institution of higher education in the United States, founded in 1764 as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providenc ...
in 1992 at the age of 20, with
honors Honour (or honor in American English) is the quality of being honorable. Honor or Honour may also refer to: People * Honor (given name), a unisex given name * Brian Honour (born 1964), English footballer and manager * Gareth Honor (born 1979 ...
in two majors, biology and public policy.Sager, Mike (February 24, 2009)
"Bobby Jindal, All American"
, Esquire.com; accessed July 27, 2017.
Jindal was admitted to the
Program in Liberal Medical Education The Program in Liberal Medical Education, or PLME, is an eight-year combined baccalaureate-M.D. medical program offered by Brown University. Members of the program are simultaneously accepted into both the undergraduate College of Brown University ...
(PLME), guaranteeing him a place at Brown Medical School. He did not pursue his Medical Doctorate. Jindal has been credited with leading
Brown University Brown University is a private research university in Providence, Rhode Island. Brown is the seventh-oldest institution of higher education in the United States, founded in 1764 as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providenc ...
's
College Republicans College Republicans are college and university students who support the Republican Party of the United States. Many members belong to the organization College Republican National Committee (CRNC), College Republicans United (CRU), or various in ...
student group. Jindal was named to the 1992 ''
USA Today ''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgini ...
'' All-USA Academic Team. He applied to and was accepted by both
Harvard Medical School Harvard Medical School (HMS) is the graduate medical school of Harvard University and is located in the Longwood Medical Area of Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1782, HMS is one of the oldest medical schools in the United States and is consi ...
and
Yale Law School Yale Law School (Yale Law or YLS) is the law school of Yale University, a Private university, private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. It was established in 1824 and has been ranked as the best law school in the United States by ''U ...
, but studied as a
Rhodes Scholar The Rhodes Scholarship is an international postgraduate award for students to study at the University of Oxford, in the United Kingdom. Established in 1902, it is the oldest graduate scholarship in the world. It is considered among the world' ...
where he received an
MLitt The Master of Letters degree (MLitt or LittM; Latin ' or ') is a postgraduate degree. Ireland Trinity College Dublin and Maynooth University offer MLitt degrees. Trinity has offered them the longest, owing largely to its tradition as Ireland ...
in
political science Political science is the scientific study of politics. It is a social science dealing with systems of governance and power, and the analysis of political activities, political thought, political behavior, and associated constitutions and la ...
with an emphasis in health policy from
New College, Oxford New College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1379 by William of Wykeham in conjunction with Winchester College as its feeder school, New College is one of the oldest colleges at th ...
in 1994. The subject of his
thesis A thesis ( : theses), or dissertation (abbreviated diss.), is a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree or professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings.International Standard ISO 7144: ...
was "A needs-based approach to health care".


Career

After completing his studies at Oxford, Jindal turned down an offer to study for a
D.Phil. A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, Ph.D., or DPhil; Latin: or ') is the most common degree at the highest academic level awarded following a course of study. PhDs are awarded for programs across the whole breadth of academic fields. Because it is ...
in politics, instead joining the consulting firm
McKinsey & Company McKinsey & Company is a global management consulting firm founded in 1926 by University of Chicago professor James O. McKinsey, that offers professional services to corporations, governments, and other organizations. McKinsey is the oldest and ...
. He then
interned Internment is the imprisonment of people, commonly in large groups, without charges or intent to file charges. The term is especially used for the confinement "of enemy citizens in wartime or of terrorism suspects". Thus, while it can simply ...
in the office of Rep.
Jim McCrery James Otis McCrery III (born September 18, 1949) is an American lawyer, politician and lobbyist who served as a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from 1988 to 2009. He represented the 4th District of Louisiana, base ...
of Louisiana, where McCrery assigned him to work on healthcare policy; Jindal spent two weeks studying Medicare to compile an extensive report on possible solutions to Medicare's financial problems, which he presented to McCrery.


Early political career (1996–2003)


Foster administration

In 1993, U.S. Representative
Jim McCrery James Otis McCrery III (born September 18, 1949) is an American lawyer, politician and lobbyist who served as a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from 1988 to 2009. He represented the 4th District of Louisiana, base ...
(whom Jindal had worked for as a summer intern) introduced him to Governor Mike Foster. In 1996, Foster appointed Jindal as Secretary of the
Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals The Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) (French: Département de La Santé de Louisiane) , formerly known as the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (French: Département de La Santé et des Hôpitaux) , is a state agency of Louisiana, h ...
, an agency that represented about 40 percent of the state
budget A budget is a calculation play, usually but not always financial, for a defined period, often one year or a month. A budget may include anticipated sales volumes and revenues, resource quantities including time, costs and expenses, environmenta ...
and employed over 12,000 people. Foster called Jindal a genius who had a great deal of medical knowledge. Jindal was 24 at the time. During his tenure, Louisiana's
Medicaid Medicaid in the United States is a federal and state program that helps with healthcare costs for some people with limited income and resources. Medicaid also offers benefits not normally covered by Medicare, including nursing home care and pers ...
program went from
bankruptcy Bankruptcy is a legal process through which people or other entities who cannot repay debts to creditors may seek relief from some or all of their debts. In most jurisdictions, bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor ...
with a $400 million deficit into three years of surpluses totaling $220 million. Jindal was criticized during the 2007 campaign by the Louisiana
AFL–CIO The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL–CIO) is the largest federation of unions in the United States. It is made up of 56 national and international unions, together representing more than 12 million ac ...
for closing some local clinics to reach that surplus. Under Jindal's term, Louisiana nationally rose to third place in child healthcare screenings, with child immunizations rising, and introduced new and expanded services for the elderly and the disabled. In 1998, Jindal was appointed executive director of the National Bipartisan Commission on the Future of Medicare, a 17-member panel charged with devising plans to reform Medicare. In 1999, at the request of the Louisiana governor's office and the
Louisiana State Legislature The Louisiana State Legislature (french: Législature d'État de Louisiane) is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is a bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 represen ...
, Jindal examined how Louisiana might use its $4.4 billion share of the tobacco settlement. In 1998, Jindal received the Samuel S. Beard Award for greatest public service by an individual 35 years old or under, an award given annually by Jefferson Awards. At 28 years of age in 1999, Jindal was appointed to become the youngest-ever president of the
University of Louisiana System The University of Louisiana System (UL System) is a public university system in the U.S. state of Louisiana. It enrolls more students than the other three public university systems in the state. Its headquarters are in the Claiborne Building in ...
, the nation's 16th largest system of higher education with over 80,000 students.


Bush administration

In March 2001, he was nominated by
President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...
George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...
to be Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services for Planning and Evaluation. He was later unanimously confirmed by a vote of the
United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...
and began serving on July 9, 2001. In that position, he served as the principal policy adviser to the
Secretary of Health and Human Services The United States secretary of health and human services is the head of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, and serves as the principal advisor to the president of the United States on all health matters. The secretary is ...
. He resigned from that post on February 21, 2003, to return to Louisiana and run for governor. He was assigned to help fight the nurse shortage by examining steps to improve
nursing education Nursing is a profession within the health care sector focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life. Nurses may be differentiated from other health c ...
.


2003 election for governor

Jindal came to national prominence during the 2003 election for governor of Louisiana. In what Louisianans call an "
open primary Primary elections, or direct primary are a voting process by which voters can indicate their preference for their party's candidate, or a candidate in general, in an upcoming general election, local election, or by-election. Depending on the c ...
" (but which is technically a
nonpartisan blanket primary A nonpartisan blanket primary is a primary election in which all candidates for the same elected office run against each other at once, regardless of the political party. Partisan elections are, on the other hand, segregated by political party. ...
), Jindal finished first with 33 percent of the vote. He received endorsements from the largest paper in Louisiana, the ''
Times-Picayune ''The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate'' is an American newspaper published in New Orleans, Louisiana, since January 25, 1837. The current publication is the result of the 2019 acquisition of ''The Times-Picayune'' (itself a result of th ...
''; the newly elected Democratic
mayor of New Orleans The post of Mayor of the City of New Orleans (french: Maire de La Nouvelle-Orléans) has been held by the following individuals since New Orleans came under American administration following the Louisiana Purchase — the acquisition by the U.S. ...
,
Ray Nagin Clarence Raymond Joseph Nagin Jr. (born June 11, 1956) is an American former politician who was the 60th Mayor of New Orleans, Louisiana, from 2002 to 2010. A Democrat, Nagin became internationally known in 2005 in the aftermath of Hurricane K ...
; and the outgoing Republican governor, Mike Foster. In the second balloting, Jindal faced the outgoing lieutenant governor,
Kathleen Babineaux Blanco Kathleen Marie Blanco (née Babineaux; December 15, 1942 – August 18, 2019) was an American politician who served as the 54th Governor of Louisiana from January 2004 to January 2008. A member of the Democratic Party, she was the first and, ...
of
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, a Democrat. Despite winning in Blanco's hometown, he lost many normally
conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization i ...
parishes in north Louisiana, and Blanco prevailed with 52 percent of the popular vote. Some political analysts blamed Jindal's loss for his refusal to answer questions targeted at his religion and ethnic background brought up in several Democratic advertisements, which the Jindal campaign called "negative attack ads." Despite losing the election in 2003, the run for governor made Jindal a well-known figure on the state's political scene and a rising star within the Republican Party.


U.S. House of Representatives (2005–2008)


Elections


2004

A few weeks after the 2003 gubernatorial runoff, Jindal decided to run for
Louisiana's 1st congressional district Louisiana's 1st congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The district comprises land from the northern shore of Lake Pontchartrain south to the Mississippi River delta. It covers most of New Orleans' sub ...
. The incumbent,
David Vitter David Bruce Vitter (born May 3, 1961) is an American lobbyist, lawyer, and politician who served as United States Senator for Louisiana from 2005 to 2017. A Republican, Vitter served in the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1992 to 1999. ...
, was running for the
Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
seat being vacated by
John Breaux John Berlinger Breaux (; born March 1, 1944) is an American lobbyist, attorney, and retired politician who was a member of the United States Senate from Louisiana from 1987 until 2005. He was also a member of the U.S. House of Representatives f ...
. The Louisiana Republican Party endorsed him in the primary although Mike Rogers, also a Republican, was running for the same seat. The 1st District has been in Republican hands since a 1977
special election A by-election, also known as a special election in the United States and the Philippines, a bye-election in Ireland, a bypoll in India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-larges ...
and is widely considered to be staunchly conservative. Jindal's campaign was able to raise over $1 million very early in the campaign, making it harder for other candidates to effectively raise funds to oppose him. He won the 2004 election with 78 percent of the vote. Jindal was only the second
Indian-American Indian Americans or Indo-Americans are citizens of the United States with ancestry from India. The United States Census Bureau uses the term Asian Indian to avoid confusion with Native Americans, who have also historically been referred to ...
to be elected to the United States Congress, after
Dalip Singh Saund Dalip Singh Saund (September 20, 1899 – April 22, 1973) was an Indian-American politician who served in the United States House of Representatives from California's 29th congressional district as a member of the Democratic Party. He was the f ...
was elected in November 1955.


2006

Jindal won re-election to a second term with 88% of the vote.


Congressional tenure

He was the second
Indian American Indian Americans or Indo-Americans are citizens of the United States with ancestry from India. The United States Census Bureau uses the term Asian Indian to avoid confusion with Native Americans, who have also historically been referred to ...
elected to Congress. He has reportedly lived in
Kenner Kenner Products, known simply as Kenner, was an American toy company founded in 1946. Throughout its history, the Kenner brand produced several highly recognizable toys and merchandise lines including action figures like the original series of ' ...
, Metairie, and
Baton Rouge Baton Rouge ( ; ) is a city in and the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-sma ...
. In 2005, Jindal criticized Bush's budget for not calling for enough spending cuts. He warned of the growth of
Medicaid Medicaid in the United States is a federal and state program that helps with healthcare costs for some people with limited income and resources. Medicaid also offers benefits not normally covered by Medicare, including nursing home care and pers ...
saying "Congress may act without them...there seems to be growing momentum that the status quo is not defensible." Jindal praised Bush's leadership on social security reform, saying "The administration has a lot more work to do to continue educating the American people about the very serious challenges facing Social Security." In response to
Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina was a destructive Category 5 Atlantic hurricane that caused over 1,800 fatalities and $125 billion in damage in late August 2005, especially in the city of New Orleans and the surrounding areas. It was at the time the cost ...
, Jindal stated "If we had been investing resources in restoring our coast, it wouldn't have prevented the storm, but the barrier islands would have absorbed some of the tidal surge."


Committee assignments

*
House Committee on Homeland Security The U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives. Its responsibilities include U.S. security legislation and oversight of the Department of Homeland Security. Role of the commit ...
* House Committee on Resources *
House Committee on Education and the Workforce The Committee on Education and Labor is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives. There are 50 members in this committee. Since 2019, the chair of the Education and Labor committee is Robert Cortez Scott of Virginia. Hi ...
He was made vice-chairman of the House Subcommittee on the Prevention of Nuclear and Biological Attacks. Jindal served as president of the incoming freshman class of congressmen, in 2004. He was elected to the position of House assistant majority whip, a senior leadership role. He served in this capacity from 2004 to 2006.


2007 gubernatorial election

On January 22, 2007, Jindal announced his candidacy for governor. Polling data showed him with an early lead in the race, and he remained the favorite throughout the campaign. He defeated eleven opponents in the
nonpartisan blanket primary A nonpartisan blanket primary is a primary election in which all candidates for the same elected office run against each other at once, regardless of the political party. Partisan elections are, on the other hand, segregated by political party. ...
held on October 20, including two prominent Democrats, State Senator
Walter Boasso Walter Joseph Boasso (born May 10, 1960) is an American businessman and Democratic former state senator from Chalmette, the seat of government of St. Bernard Parish in south Louisiana. He was defeated in a bid for governor in the October 20 ...
of
Chalmette Chalmette ( ) is a census-designated place (CDP) in, and the parish seat of, St. Bernard Parish in southeastern Louisiana, United States. The 2010 census reported that Chalmette had 16,751 people; 2011 population was listed as 17,119; however, th ...
and
Louisiana Public Service Commission The Louisiana Public Service Commission (LPSC) is an independent regulatory agency which manages public utilities and motor carriers in Louisiana. The commission has five elected members chosen in single-member districts for staggered six-year te ...
er
Foster Campbell Foster Lonnie Campbell Jr. (born January 6, 1947) is an American politician and member of the Democratic Party from the U.S. state of Louisiana. Since 2003, he has been a member of the Louisiana Public Service Commission. He served in the Louis ...
of
Bossier City Bossier City ( ) is a city in Bossier Parish in the northwestern region of the U.S. state of Louisiana in the United States. It is the second most populous city in the Shreveport–Bossier City metropolitan statistical area. In 2020, it had a ...
, and an
independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s * Independ ...
, New Orleans
business Business is the practice of making one's living or making money by producing or Trade, buying and selling Product (business), products (such as goods and Service (economics), services). It is also "any activity or enterprise entered into for pr ...
man
John Georges John Georges ( el, Υιάννης Γεωργής) (born October 16, 1960) is an American businessman from New Orleans, who owns Louisiana's two largest newspapers and online news sites. He formerly served on the Louisiana Board of Regents, the b ...
. Jindal finished with 699,672 votes (54 percent). Boasso ran second with 226,364 votes (17 percent). Georges finished with 186,800 (14 percent), and Campbell, who is also a former state senator, ran fourth with 161,425 (12 percent). The remaining candidates collectively polled three percent of the vote. Jindal polled well in the pluralities or
majorities A majority, also called a simple majority or absolute majority to distinguish it from related terms, is more than half of the total.Dictionary definitions of ''majority'' aMerriam-WebsterOrleans Parish New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
St. Bernard Parish (which Boasso represented in the Legislature), and in the two neighboring north Louisiana parishes of Red River and Bienville located south of Shreveport, both historically Democratic and supported Campbell. In the 2003 contest with Blanco, Jindal had lost most of the northern parishes. This marked the first time that a non-incumbent candidate for governor was elected without a runoff under the Louisiana election system.


Governor of Louisiana (2008–2016)


First term

As governor-elect, Jindal named a new ethics team, with Democratic Shreveport businesswoman Virginia Kilpatrick Shehee, the first woman to have served in the state senate, as the vice-chairman of the panel. Jindal assumed the position of governor when he took the
oath of office An oath of office is an oath or affirmation a person takes before assuming the duties of an office, usually a position in government or within a religious body, although such oaths are sometimes required of officers of other organizations. Such ...
on January 14, 2008. At thirty-six, he became the youngest sitting governor in the United States. He is also Louisiana's first non-white governor since
P. B. S. Pinchback Pinckney Benton Stewart Pinchback (May 10, 1837 – December 21, 1921) was an American publisher, politician, and Union Army officer. Pinchback was the second African American (after Oscar Dunn) to serve as governor and lieutenant governor of a ...
served for thirty-five days during
Reconstruction Reconstruction may refer to: Politics, history, and sociology *Reconstruction (law), the transfer of a company's (or several companies') business to a new company *'' Perestroika'' (Russian for "reconstruction"), a late 20th century Soviet Unio ...
, and the first non-white governor to be elected (Pinchback succeeded to the position of lieutenant governor on the death of
Oscar Dunn Oscar James Dunn (1822 – November 22, 1871) served as a Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana during the era of Reconstruction and was the first African American to act as governor of a U.S. state. In 1868, Dunn became the first elected black ...
, then to governor upon the impeachment of
Henry Clay Warmoth Henry Clay Warmoth (May 9, 1842 – September 30, 1931) was an American attorney and veteran Civil War officer in the Union Army who was elected governor and state representative of Louisiana. A Republican, he was 26 years old when elected as 23 ...
). Additionally, Jindal became the first
Indian American Indian Americans or Indo-Americans are citizens of the United States with ancestry from India. The United States Census Bureau uses the term Asian Indian to avoid confusion with Native Americans, who have also historically been referred to ...
to be elected governor of any state in the United States.
In a salute to the 2007 LSU Tigers football national championship team during his January 14, 2008 inauguration speech, Jindal stated in part "...They revere our athletes. Go Tigers...." In 2008, Jindal was ranked one of the nation's most popular governors with an approval rating of 77%. One of Jindal's first appointments was that of
Mike Edmonson Michael David Edmonson (born September 19, 1958) is the former superintendent of the Louisiana State Police, with service from January 2008 until March 24, 2017. Thus far, he is the longest serving of the Louisiana state police superintendents. E ...
as
superintendent Superintendent may refer to: *Superintendent (police), Superintendent of Police (SP), or Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), a police rank *Prison warden or Superintendent, a prison administrator *Superintendent (ecclesiastical), a church exec ...
of the
Louisiana State Police The Louisiana State Police (French: Police d’Etat de Louisiane) is the state police agency of Louisiana, which has jurisdiction anywhere in the state, headquartered in Baton Rouge. It falls under the authority of the Louisiana Department of P ...
. Edmonson had been for twenty preceding years the bodyguard and confidant of
LSU Tigers football The LSU Tigers football program, also known as the Fighting Tigers, represents Louisiana State University in college football. The Tigers compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) an ...
coaches. Edmonson was also the deputy secretary of the Department of Public Safety, an agency with more than 2,900 employees and a budget of nearly $500 million. In 2014, Jindal was compelled to urge
repeal A repeal (O.F. ''rapel'', modern ''rappel'', from ''rapeler'', ''rappeler'', revoke, ''re'' and ''appeler'', appeal) is the removal or reversal of a law. There are two basic types of repeal; a repeal with a re-enactment is used to replace the law ...
of a state law that he had earlier signed which provided enhanced retirement benefits to Edmonson and, inadvertently, to one other state trooper. Jindal said that he was unaware that the legislation, called in the media the "Edmonson Act," applied only to two persons. He urged the legislature to rewrite the law. Thereafter, Janice Clark, a state district court judge in Baton Rouge, declared that portion of the law enhancing the retirement benefits of Edmonson to be unconstitutional. Another early appointee was that of former state representative
Frank P. Simoneaux Frank Paul Simoneaux (October 30, 1933 – May 8, 2024) was an American lawyer and politician in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, who served as a Democratic Party (United States), Democrat from 1972 to 1982 in the Louisiana House of Representatives. From ...
, a Baton Rouge attorney, as the chairman of the Louisiana Ethics Commission.
Jimmy Faircloth Jimmy may refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''Jimmy'' (2008 film), a 2008 Hindi thriller directed by Raj N. Sippy * ''Jimmy'' (1979 film), a 1979 Indian Malayalam film directed by Melattoor Ravi Varma * ''Jimmy'' (2013 f ...
, an attorney from
Alexandria Alexandria ( or ; ar, ٱلْإِسْكَنْدَرِيَّةُ ; grc-gre, Αλεξάνδρεια, Alexándria) is the second largest city in Egypt, and the largest city on the Mediterranean coast. Founded in by Alexander the Great, Alexandria ...
and Pineville, was the influential executive counsel from 2008 to 2009, when he stepped down to run unsuccessfully for the
Louisiana Supreme Court The Supreme Court of Louisiana (french: Cour suprême de Louisiane) is the highest court and court of last resort in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The modern Supreme Court, composed of seven justices, meets in the French Quarter of New Orlea ...
. Faircloth was considered the legal architect of the special 2008 legislative session on ethics reform. He guided the Jindal administration through the aftermath of Hurricanes Gustav and
Ike Ike or IKE may refer to: People * Ike (given name), a list of people with the name or nickname * Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890–1969), Supreme Commander of the Allied forces in Europe during World War II and President of the United States Surname ...
. After leaving the administration, he continued as a periodic legal advisor to Jindal. On June 27, 2008, Louisiana's Secretary of State confirmed that a recall petition had been filed against Jindal in response to Jindal's refusal to
veto A veto is a legal power to unilaterally stop an official action. In the most typical case, a president or monarch vetoes a bill to stop it from becoming law. In many countries, veto powers are established in the country's constitution. Veto ...
a bill that would have more than doubled the current state legislative pay. During his gubernatorial campaign, Jindal had pledged to prevent legislative pay raises that would take effect during the current term. Jindal responded by saying that he is opposed to the pay increase, but that he had pledged to let the legislature govern themselves. On June 30, 2008, Jindal reversed his earlier position by vetoing the pay raise legislation, stating that he made a mistake by staying out of the pay raise issue. In response, the petitioners dropped their recall effort.
Standard and Poor's S&P Global Ratings (previously Standard & Poor's and informally known as S&P) is an American credit rating agency (CRA) and a division of S&P Global that publishes financial research and analysis on stocks, bonds, and commodities. S&P is consi ...
raised Louisiana's bond rating and credit outlook from stable to positive in 2009. In announcing this change, the organization gave credit to the state's strong management and "commitment to streamlining its government functions." Jindal met with President
Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the U ...
in October 2009 where the governor pushed for increased federal dollars to cover rising Medicaid costs, speeding the construction of hurricane-protection barriers, and financing the proposed Louisiana State University teaching hospital. During a town hall meeting, Obama praised Jindal as a "hard working man who is doing a good job" for the State, and expressed support for the governor's overhaul of the State's educational system in the area of increased charter schools. Louisiana state government watchdog C.B. Forgotston, former counsel to the House Appropriations Committee who supported Jindal's election in 2007, has expressed disappointment with the governor in regard to the legislative pay raise and other fiscal issues. Forgotston said he would grade Jindal an A+ in public relations and a D in fiscal performance in office. Jindal negotiated an agreement whereby Foster Farms, a private chicken processor, would receive $50 million in taxpayer funds to purchase a chicken processing plant owned by bankrupt
Pilgrim's Pride Pilgrim's Pride Corporation is an American, multi-national food company, currently one of the largest chicken producers in the United States and Puerto Rico and the second-largest chicken producer in Mexico. It exited bankruptcy in December 2009 ...
. Some claimed there is a conflict of interest in that Pilgrim's Pride founder Lonnie "Bo" Pilgrim contributed $2500 to Jindal's campaign in 2007. Other contributors to Jindal's campaign who benefited from economic development spending include Albemarle and Edison Chouest Offshore. Jindal however released a statement saying that this legislation saved over 1,000 jobs, serves as a stimulus to Louisiana's economy, and had wide bipartisan support.


Hurricane Gustav

Jindal oversaw one of the largest evacuations in U.S. history (nearly two million people) in late August 2008 prior to the Louisiana landfall of
Hurricane Gustav Hurricane Gustav () was the second most destructive hurricane of the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season. The seventh tropical cyclone, third hurricane, and second major hurricane of the season, Gustav caused serious damage and casualties in Haiti, ...
. He issued mandatory evacuation orders for the state's coastal areas and activated 3,000 National Guardsman to aid in the exodus. He also ordered the state to purchase generators to provide needed power to hospitals and nursing homes without power. Government officials vacated hospitals and nursing homes and put the poor, the ill, and the elderly on buses and trains out of town. The evacuation was credited as one reason that Gustav resulted in only 16 deaths in the U.S. The state's successful response to
Hurricane Gustav Hurricane Gustav () was the second most destructive hurricane of the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season. The seventh tropical cyclone, third hurricane, and second major hurricane of the season, Gustav caused serious damage and casualties in Haiti, ...
was in stark contrast to the failed
hurricane response Hurricane response is the disaster response after a Tropical cyclone, hurricane. This response encompasses assessment and repairs to buildings and infrastructure, removal of debris, and providing public health services. Hurricane responders may ...
system for
Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina was a destructive Category 5 Atlantic hurricane that caused over 1,800 fatalities and $125 billion in damage in late August 2005, especially in the city of New Orleans and the surrounding areas. It was at the time the cost ...
in 2005. Jindal received bipartisan praise for his leadership during Gustav. Jindal had been scheduled to address the Republican National Convention, but cancelled his plans in order to focus on Louisiana's needs during the storm.


2011 re-election campaign

Jindal announced his intention to seek reelection in 2011. With high
approval rating An opinion poll, often simply referred to as a survey or a poll (although strictly a poll is an actual election) is a human research survey of public opinion from a particular sample. Opinion polls are usually designed to represent the opinions ...
s and big amounts of campaign funds, Democrats struggled to land a recruit of any substance. Running against four Democrats, a Libertarian and four independents in the
jungle primary A nonpartisan blanket primary is a primary election in which all candidates for the same elected office run against each other at once, regardless of the political party. Partisan elections are, on the other hand, segregated by political party ...
, Jindal received 66% of the vote in the blanket primary, thereby winning election in the first round.


Second term

In August 2011, the
American Legislative Exchange Council The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) is a nonprofit organization of conservative state legislators and private sector representatives who draft and share model legislation for distribution among state governments in the United State ...
(ALEC) awarded Jindal the Thomas Jefferson Freedom Award for "outstanding public service". On October 25, 2011, in preparing for his second term, Jindal tapped Republican state representative Chuck Kleckley of Lake Charles and State Senator
John Alario John A. Alario, Jr. is an American politician from Louisiana who represented the 8th district in the Louisiana State Senate from 2008 until 2020. Currently a Republican, Alario previously represented District 83 in the Louisiana House of Represe ...
of Westwego as his choices for Speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives and Louisiana Senate President, respectively. Both were confirmed by legislators. Alario is a long-term Democrat who switched parties prior to the 2011 elections. In January 2012, Jindal elevated John C. White, the short-term superintendent at the Recovery School District in New Orleans, to the position of state superintendent of education. In August 2012, Jindal declared a statewide
state of emergency A state of emergency is a situation in which a government is empowered to be able to put through policies that it would normally not be permitted to do, for the safety and protection of its citizens. A government can declare such a state du ...
due to the threat of subsidence and subsurface instability that threatens the lives and property of the citizens of the state. By the end of Jindal's second term, he saw a marked drop in his state popularity and problems such as a budget deficit and cuts to public expenditure. He could not stand for a third term because the governor of Louisiana is subject to term limits.


Tax system proposals

In January 2013, Jindal released a plan that would eliminate the Louisiana
state income tax In addition to Federal government of the United States, federal Income tax in the United States, income tax collected by the United States, most individual U.S. states collect a state income tax. Some local governments also impose an income tax, ...
, which he felt would expand business investment in the state, and then raise
sales taxes A sales tax is a tax paid to a governing body for the sales of certain goods and services. Usually laws allow the seller to collect funds for the tax from the consumer at the point of purchase. When a tax on goods or services is paid to a gover ...
in order to keep the plan revenue-neutral. Self-styled taxpayer watchdog and former legislative aide C.B. Forgotston correctly predicted that Jindal's plan would fail to clear the legislature because of the higher sales taxes, the lack of needed support from Democrats, and the likelihood that the plan would not increase overall state revenues. On April 8, 2013, the first day of the legislative session, Jindal dropped the plan after acknowledging some negative response to the plan from legislators and the public, but said he would still like the legislature to formulate its own plan that could end the state income tax.


Energy plan

Jindal announced, in September 2014, a six-point energy platform that would, among other things, open up energy production on federal land and eliminated proposed carbon restrictions.


Private sector career (2017–present)

In 2017, Jindal took a position as an operating adviser for
Ares Management Ares Management Corporation is an American global alternative investment manager operating in the credit, private equity and real estate markets. The company was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Los Angeles, California, with additional of ...
, a global investment firm based in
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
.


National politics


Speculation about 2008 vice presidential nomination

On February 8, 2008, conservative radio host
Rush Limbaugh Rush Hudson Limbaugh III ( ; January 12, 1951 – February 17, 2021) was an American conservative political commentator who was the host of '' The Rush Limbaugh Show'', which first aired in 1984 and was nationally syndicated on AM and FM r ...
mentioned on his syndicated show that Jindal could be a possible choice for the Republican vice presidential nomination in 2008. He said that Jindal might be perceived as an asset to
John McCain John Sidney McCain III (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018) was an American politician and United States Navy officer who served as a United States senator from Arizona from 1987 until his death in 2018. He previously served two terms ...
's campaign because he has wide support in the conservative and moderate wings of the Republican Party and his immigrant past offsets McCain's white heritage. If McCain had won the presidency, he would have been the oldest president ever inaugurated to a first term. Heightening the speculation, McCain invited Jindal, Gov. Charlie Crist of
Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
, Gov.
Tim Pawlenty Timothy James Pawlenty (; born November 27, 1960) is an American attorney, businessman, and politician who served as the 39th governor of Minnesota from 2003 to 2011. A member of the Republican Party, Pawlenty served in the Minnesota House o ...
of
Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...
and McCain's former rivals
Mitt Romney Willard Mitt Romney (born March 12, 1947) is an American politician, businessman, and lawyer serving as the junior United States senator from Utah since January 2019, succeeding Orrin Hatch. He served as the 70th governor of Massachusetts f ...
and
Mike Huckabee Michael Dale Huckabee (born August 24, 1955) is an American politician, Baptist minister, and political commentator who served as the 44th governor of Arkansas from 1996 to 2007. He was a candidate for the Republican Party presidential nomina ...
to meet at McCain's home in
Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...
on May 23, 2008, according to a Republican familiar with the decision; Romney, Huckabee, and Pawlenty, all of whom were already well acquainted with McCain, declined because of prior commitments. The meeting may have served a different purpose, such as consideration of Jindal for the opportunity to speak at the 2008 Republican National Convention, in a similar fashion to
Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the U ...
at the
2004 Democratic National Convention The 2004 Democratic National Convention convened from July 26 to 29, 2004 at the FleetCenter (now the TD Garden) in Boston, Massachusetts, and nominated Senator John Kerry from Massachusetts for president and Senator John Edwards from North Car ...
, cementing a place for him in the party and opening the gate for a future run for the presidency. Speculation was fueled by simultaneous July 21, 2008, reports that McCain was making a sudden visit to Louisiana to confer again with Jindal and that McCain was readying to name his running mate within a week. However, on July 23, 2008, Jindal said that he would not be the Republican vice presidential nominee in 2008. Jindal added that he "never talked to the senator cCainabout the vice presidency or his thoughts on selecting the vice president." Ultimately, on August 29, 2008, McCain chose then- Gov.
Sarah Palin Sarah Louise Palin (; Heath; born February 11, 1964) is an American politician, commentator, author, and reality television personality who served as the ninth governor of Alaska from 2006 until her resignation in 2009. She was the 2008 R ...
of
Alaska Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S., ...
as his running mate. While Jindal was given a prime-time speech slot at the party convention, he was not offered the
keynote speech A keynote in public speaking is a talk that establishes a main underlying theme. In corporate or commercial settings, greater importance is attached to the delivery of a keynote speech or keynote address. The keynote establishes the framework fo ...
. During the presidential campaign, Jindal expressed admiration for both Senators McCain and Obama, and maintained that both have made positive contributions to the nation.


Republican response to President Obama's address to Congress

On February 24, 2009, Jindal delivered the official Republican response to President Obama's address to a joint session of Congress. Jindal called the president's economic stimulus plan "irresponsible" and argued against government intervention. He used
Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina was a destructive Category 5 Atlantic hurricane that caused over 1,800 fatalities and $125 billion in damage in late August 2005, especially in the city of New Orleans and the surrounding areas. It was at the time the cost ...
to warn against government solutions to the economic crisis. "Today in Washington, some are promising that government will rescue us from the economic storms raging all around us," Jindal said. "Those of us who lived through Hurricane Katrina, we have our doubts." He praised the late sheriff Harry Lee for standing up to the government during Katrina. The speech met with biting reviews from some members of both the Democratic and the Republican parties. Referring to Jindal as "devoid of substantive ideas for governing the country", political commentator Rachel Maddow summarized Jindal's Katrina remark as follows: " indal states thatsince government failed during Hurricane Katrina, we should understand, not that government should not be allowed to fail again, but that government...never works. That government can't work, and therefore we should stop seeking a functioning government." David Johnson, a Republican political strategist criticized Jindal's mention of Hurricane Katrina, stating "The one thing Republicans want to forget is Katrina." While Jindal's speech was poorly received by several Democratic and Republican critics, others argued that the speech should be judged on substance rather than delivery style. Jindal's story of meeting Lee in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina was questioned following the speech, as Jindal was not in New Orleans at the time. On February 27, 2009, a spokesman for Jindal clarified the timing of the meeting, stating that the story took place days after the storm. The opportunity to give the response to President Obama's speech was compared by some commentators to winning " second prize in a beauty contest", a reference to the board game
Monopoly A monopoly (from Greek language, Greek el, μόνος, mónos, single, alone, label=none and el, πωλεῖν, pōleîn, to sell, label=none), as described by Irving Fisher, is a market with the "absence of competition", creating a situati ...
.


2012 presidential election

Jindal had been mentioned as a potential candidate for the 2012 presidential election. On December 10, 2008, Jindal indicated that he would likely not run for president in 2012, saying he will focus on his re-election in 2011 and that this would make transitioning to a national campaign difficult, though he did not rule out a possible 2012 presidential bid. Speculation increased when Republicans chose Jindal to deliver the response to President Obama's first address to a joint session of Congress. The Jindal for President Draft Council Inc. PAC was formed in 2009 to raise funds for a future presidential run. Jindal has stated that he has no involvement with the PAC. In April 2010, while speaking at the
Southern Republican Leadership Conference The Southern Republican Leadership Conference (SRLC) is a political event held in the Southern United States before each United States presidential election, presidential election. The event is attended by Republican Party (United States), Republic ...
, Jindal ruled out running for the Republican nomination for president in 2012. In
2012 File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gather ...
, Jindal traveled across the country in support of the
Mitt Romney Willard Mitt Romney (born March 12, 1947) is an American politician, businessman, and lawyer serving as the junior United States senator from Utah since January 2019, succeeding Orrin Hatch. He served as the 70th governor of Massachusetts f ...
-
Paul Ryan Paul Davis Ryan (born January 29, 1970) is an American former politician who served as the List of Speakers of the United States House of Representatives, 54th speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 2015 to 2019. A member o ...
ticket. Because Louisiana and other
Deep South The Deep South or the Lower South is a cultural and geographic subregion in the Southern United States. The term was first used to describe the states most dependent on plantations and slavery prior to the American Civil War. Following the war ...
states voted heavily for the GOP, Jindal could hence devote his campaign time elsewhere. In August 2012, ''
Politico ''Politico'' (stylized in all caps), known originally as ''The Politico'', is an American, German-owned political journalism newspaper company based in Arlington County, Virginia, that covers politics and policy in the United States and intern ...
'' reported that "Bobby Jindal would be considered orand would likely take" appointment as
United States Secretary of Health and Human Services The United States secretary of health and human services is the head of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, and serves as the principal advisor to the president of the United States on all health matters. The secretary is ...
in a potential Romney
cabinet Cabinet or The Cabinet may refer to: Furniture * Cabinetry, a box-shaped piece of furniture with doors and/or drawers * Display cabinet, a piece of furniture with one or more transparent glass sheets or transparent polycarbonate sheets * Filing ...
. After the defeat of Romney-Ryan, Jindal called for his party to return to "the basics... If we want people to like us, we have to like them first," he said on the interview program ''
Fox News Sunday ''Fox News Sunday'' is a Sunday morning talk show that has aired on the broadcast Fox network since 1996, as a presentation of Fox News Channel. It is the only regularly scheduled Fox News program carried on the main Fox broadcast network. Host ...
''."Governor: Liking people key to enlarging GOP base", ''
Laredo Morning Times The ''Laredo Morning Times'' is a daily newspaper publication based in Laredo, Texas, USA. It is owned by the Hearst Corporation Hearst Communications, Inc., often referred to simply as Hearst, is an American multinational mass media and busin ...
'', November 19, 2012, p. 6A
As the incoming president of the
Republican Governors Association The Republican Governors Association (RGA) is a Washington, D.C.-based 527 organization founded in 1961, consisting of U.S. state and territorial Republican governors. The Republican Governors Association is dedicated to one primary objective: e ...
, which had thirty members in 2013, Jindal questioned Romney for having criticized President Obama as having provided "extraordinary financial gifts from the government". In reply to Romney, Jindal said, "You don't start to like people by insulting them and saying their votes were bought." Jindal said that his party must convince a majority of voters that it supports the middle class and the principle of
upward mobility Social mobility is the movement of individuals, families, households or other categories of people within or between social strata in a society. It is a change in social status relative to one's current social location within a given society ...
. He also criticized what he termed "stupid" remarks regarding rape and conception made in 2012 by defeated Republican U.S. Senate nominees
Todd Akin William Todd Akin (July 5, 1947 – October 3, 2021) was an American politician who served as the U.S. representative for from 2001 to 2013. He was a member of the Republican Party. Born in New York City, Akin grew up in the Greater St. Louis ...
in
Missouri Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...
and
Richard Mourdock Richard Earl Mourdock (born October 8, 1951) is an American politician who served as treasurer of the state of Indiana from 2007 to 2014. Running with the support of the Tea Party movement, he defeated six-term incumbent U.S. Senator Richard Lu ...
in
Indiana Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...
.


2016 presidential candidacy

In November 2012, after the election, Jindal was featured in a ''
Time Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, to ...
'' magazine article titled "2016: Let's Get The Party Started", where he was listed as a possible Republican candidate for the presidency in 2016. The article cited his fiscal and social conservative policies and his Indian American background, which would bring diversity to the GOP. In 2013, with polls showing Jindal's approval ratings in Louisiana falling significantly, some analysts wrote off Jindal as a serious national contender, though others pointed to Romney as an example of someone who still won the Presidential nomination despite poor approval ratings from his home state. In October 2013, Jindal told ''
Fox News Sunday ''Fox News Sunday'' is a Sunday morning talk show that has aired on the broadcast Fox network since 1996, as a presentation of Fox News Channel. It is the only regularly scheduled Fox News program carried on the main Fox broadcast network. Host ...
'' that he was still mulling a 2016 presidential run. On May 18, 2015, Jindal formed a presidential exploratory committee to determine whether he would run as a candidate in the 2016 presidential election, and he announced his candidacy on June 24. As of early September, Jindal was polling at 1 percent among the Republican primary electorate. On November 17, 2015, Jindal appeared on ''
Special Report with Bret Baier '' Special Report with Bret Baier'' (formerly ''Special Report with Brit Hume'') is an American television news and political commentary program, hosted by Bret Baier since 2009, that airs on Fox News Channel. It is broadcast live each Monday thr ...
'' on the Fox News Channel, announcing that he was ending his run for president, saying "I've come to the realization that this is not my time." During his campaign, Jindal called
Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...
a "narcissist" and an "egomaniacal madman", but afterward said that he would support Trump because "electing Donald Trump would be the second-worst thing we could do this November, better only than electing Hillary Clinton to serve as the third term for the Obama administration's radical policies."


Political positions


Abortion and stem cell research

Jindal has a 100%
anti-abortion Anti-abortion movements, also self-styled as pro-life or abolitionist movements, are involved in the abortion debate advocating against the practice of abortion and its legality. Many anti-abortion movements began as countermovements in respons ...
voting record according to the
National Right to Life Committee The National Right to Life Committee (NRLC) is the oldest and largest national anti-abortion organization in the United States with affiliates in all 50 states and more than 3,000 local chapters nationwide. Since the 1980s, NRLC has influen ...
. He opposes
abortion Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy by removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus. An abortion that occurs without intervention is known as a miscarriage or "spontaneous abortion"; these occur in approximately 30% to 40% of pregn ...
in general, but does not condemn medical procedures aimed at saving the life of the mother that indirectly result in the loss of the unborn child, such as
salpingectomy Salpingectomy refers to the surgical removal of a Fallopian tube. This may be done to treat an ectopic pregnancy or cancer, to prevent cancer, or as a form of contraception. This procedure is now sometimes preferred over its ovarian tube-sparin ...
for an ectopic pregnancy. In 2003, Jindal stated that he did not object to the use of
emergency contraception Emergency contraception (EC) is a birth control measure, used after sexual intercourse to prevent pregnancy. There are different forms of EC. Emergency contraceptive pills (ECPs), sometimes simply referred to as emergency contraceptives (ECs), o ...
in the case of
rape Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse or other forms of sexual penetration carried out against a person without their consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority, or ag ...
if the victim requests it. While in the House of Representatives, he supported two bills to prohibit transporting minors across state lines to obtain an abortion; the bills aimed to prevent doctors and others from helping a minor avoid parental notification laws in their home state by procuring an abortion in another state. He opposed and voted against expanding public funding of embryonic stem cell research.


Same-sex marriage

Jindal opposed the legalization of both same-sex marriage and civil unions. In Congress, he voted for the Federal Marriage Amendment to restrict marriage to a union between one man and one woman. He also voted against the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007. In December 2008, Jindal announced the formation of the Louisiana Commission on Marriage and Family. Following the 2013 Supreme Court's rulings on United States v. Windsor, DOMA and Hollingsworth v. Perry, Proposition 8, he said: "I believe every child deserves a mom and a dad. This opinion leaves the matter of marriage to the states where people can decide. In Louisiana, we will opt for traditional marriage. How about we let the people decide for themselves, via their representatives and via referendum?"


Marriage and Conscience Act

In April 2015, Jindal announced that he would sign into law the Louisiana Marriage and Conscience Act proposed by newly elected Republican state representative Mike Johnson (Louisiana politician), Mike Johnson. In a guest editorial in ''The New York Times'', Jindal said that he has been contacted by several corporations who oppose the bill: "They are free to voice their opinions, but they will not deter me." Johnson's bill proposed to bar the state from revoking licenses or refusing to engage in contract with individuals or businesses because they oppose marriage between two persons of the same sex. Johnson's bill was meant to guarantee the tax status of groups that support only traditional marriage. In May 2015, the legislature killed the measure. Four Republican members, Mike "Pete" Huval, Pete Huval of Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, Breaux Bridge, Gregory A. Miller of Norco, Louisiana, Norco, Clay Schexnayder of Gonzales, Louisiana, Gonzales, and Nancy Landry of
Lafayette Lafayette or La Fayette may refer to: People * Lafayette (name), a list of people with the surname Lafayette or La Fayette or the given name Lafayette * House of La Fayette, a French noble family ** Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette (1757 ...
, joined Democrats in killing the bill. Jindal responded by issuing Executive order (United States), Executive Order BJ-2015-8, (the "Marriage and Conscience Order"), which attempted to achieve the goals of the failed legislation. Johnson said he intended to re-introduce the measure in 2016.


Government ethics

He vetoed state legislation to increase pay for state legislators. However, the Louisiana governor's office was ranked last for transparency in the United States both prior, and subsequent, to Jindal's election, as reported by the WDSU I-Team. At least two legislators, state representatives Walker Hines (Louisiana politician), Walker Hines and Neil Abramson (politician), Neil Abramson, argued that this may be attributed to legislation that removed the governor's records from the public domain; they argued that the legislation was surreptitiously inserted as a last-minute amendment into an education bill by Jindal's office on the last day of the 2008 session, providing no time to properly review it before it passed the legislature and was signed into law by Jindal. In 2014, Jindal signed into law a bill sponsored by Democratic state representative Jeff Arnold (politician), Jeff Arnold of New Orleans to permit Francis C. Heitmeier, a Democratic former member of both houses of the Louisiana Legislature and an unsuccessful 2006 candidate for Louisiana Secretary of State, to lobby legislators even though Heitmeier's brother, David Heitmeier, was, at the time, the sitting senator for District 7, which includes the Algiers, New Orleans, Algiers neighbourhood of New Orleans. The special exemption permitted an immediate family member of an elected official who was a lobbyist for the executive branch of state government for the year prior to 9 January 2012, to be able to lobby the legislature. David Heitmeier abstained from voting on the measure which was written with the intent of benefiting Francis Heitmeier.


Gun rights and gun control

Jindal is a fervent supporter of the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution, Second Amendment and generally opposes gun control. He has been endorsed by the National Rifle Association and received an A rating from Gun Owners of America while he was in Congress. As a Congressman, he sponsored the Disaster Recovery Personal Protection Act of 2006 with Senator Vitter. In July 2015, during an interview with CBS, Jindal stated that he supported stricter background checks, and that every state should begin to enact tougher background checks on gun buyers.


Tax policy

As a private citizen, Jindal voted in 2002 for the Louisiana constitutional amendment known as the Stelly Plan which lowered some sales taxes in exchange for higher income taxes. After taking office, Jindal cut taxes a total of six times, including the largest income tax cut in Louisiana's history – a cut of $1.1 billion over five years, along with accelerating the elimination of the tax on business investments. In January 2013, Jindal said he wanted to eliminate all Louisiana corporate and personal income taxes, without giving details for his proposal. As U.S. Representative from Louisiana, Jindal received grades of B in 2005, B− in 2006, and C in 2007 from the National Taxpayers Union, a Conservatism in the United States, conservative Taxpayer groups, taxpayers advocacy organization. As Governor of Louisiana, Jindal received grades of A in 2010, B in 2012, and B in 2014 from the Cato Institute, a Libertarianism in the United States, libertarian think tank, in their biennial Fiscal Policy Report Card on America's Governors.


Education

In 2008, Jindal came out in favour of the Common Core State Standards Initiative, which Louisiana adopted in 2010. In 2014, Jindal wrote that "It has become fashionable in the news media to believe there is a right-wing conspiracy against Common Core." Jindal proposed budgets that impose cuts on higher education funding in Louisiana, leading to protests from students and education advocates. Jindal proposed several controversial education reforms, including vouchers for low income students in public schools to attend private institutions using Minimum Foundation Program funds. The legislation also included controversial changes in teacher evaluations, tenure and pensions. Hundreds of teachers, administrators and public education supporters protested against the legislation at the capital of Louisiana, some of whom cancelled classes to attend demonstrations. Many participants circulated petitions to recall Jindal and Republican House Speaker Chuck Kleckley. In April 2012, a Louisiana Public Broadcasting program examined possible conflicts between aspects of the Jindal education reform plan and the federal desegregation orders still in place in many parts of Louisiana. Jindal said he believed that every child learns differently. For him, some will accomplish great things in a public school while some will learn better in an online program, and still others will make waves in charter schools, or in parochial schools and dual-enrollment programmes. However, in all these choices, the parents must be trusted to make the best decisions for their children.


Evolution

Jindal signed a law that permitted teachers at Public school (government funded), public schools to supplement standard evolutionary curricula with analysis and critiques that may include intelligent design. The law forbids "the promotion of any religious doctrine and will not discriminate against religion or non-religion". Louisiana American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU Director Marjorie Esman said that if the act was utilized as written, it would be on firm constitutional footing, stating that the Act is "susceptible to a constitutional challenge." Despite calls for a
veto A veto is a legal power to unilaterally stop an official action. In the most typical case, a president or monarch vetoes a bill to stop it from becoming law. In many countries, veto powers are established in the country's constitution. Veto ...
from John Derbyshire and some genetics professors at
Brown University Brown University is a private research university in Providence, Rhode Island. Brown is the seventh-oldest institution of higher education in the United States, founded in 1764 as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providenc ...
, Jindal signed the Louisiana Academic Freedom Act which passed with a vote of 94–3 in the State House and 35–0 in the State Senate in 2008. The Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology rejected New Orleans as a site for their 2010 meeting and the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology will not conduct future meetings in Louisiana.


Civil liberties

Jindal voted to extend the Patriot Act, voted in favour of the Military Commissions Act of 2006, supported a Flag Desecration Amendment, constitutional amendment banning flag burning, and voted for the Real ID Act of 2005. In the 2009 legislative session, Jindal expressed support for a bill by state representative Jim Morris (Louisiana politician), James H. Morris of Oil City, Louisiana, Oil City, which would permit motorcyclists to choose whether or not to wear a helmet. Morris' bill easily passed the House but was blocked in the Senate Health Committee.


Immigration laws

He criticized illegal immigration as a drain on the economy, as well as being unfair to those who entered the country by legal means. He voted to build a fence along the Mexican border and opposed granting amnesty for illegal immigrants.


Health care

Jindal refused to accept federal funds to expand Medicaid after the passage of the Affordable Care Act, costing his state $1.65 billion in federal health-care assistance for the poor. He supported increased health insurance portability; laws promoting coverage of pre-existing medical conditions; a cap on malpractice lawsuits; an easing of restrictions on importation of prescription medications; the implementation of a streamlined electronic medical records system; an emphasis on preventative care rather than emergency room care; and tax benefits aimed at making health insurance more affordable for the uninsured and targeted to promote universal access. During Jindal tenure, over 11,000 uninsured children were added to the State's Children's Health Insurance Program. He also opposed a federal government-run, single-payer system, but supported state efforts to reduce the uninsured population. He has also supported expanding services for autistic children, and promoted a national childhood cancer database. In collaboration with Health Secretary Alan Levine, Jindal drafted the Louisiana Health First Initiative. This plan focused on expanding health insurance coverage for the state's indigent population, increasing Medicaid choice, reducing fraud, authorizing funding of a new charity hospital, and increasing transparency in Medicaid by making performance measures available over the internet. Jindal supported co-payments in
Medicaid Medicaid in the United States is a federal and state program that helps with healthcare costs for some people with limited income and resources. Medicaid also offers benefits not normally covered by Medicare, including nursing home care and pers ...
. Due to a congressional reduction in federal Medicaid financing rates, the Jindal administration chose to levy the largest slice of cuts on the network of LSU charity hospitals and clinics, requiring some facilities to close.


Environmental issues and offshore drilling

Jindal issued an executive order increasing office recycling programs, reducing solid waste and promoting paperless practices, offering tax credit for hybrid fuel vehicles, increasing average fuel economy goals by 2010, as well as increasing energy efficiency goals and standards for the state. He has stated his opposition to and voted for the criminalization of oil cartels such as OPEC. As a representative in the House, he supported a $300-million bill to fund Louisiana coastal restoration. In addition, he was the chief sponsor of successful legislation to expand the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park by over . Jindal signed bill SB 469 that would limit actions aimed at oil and gas companies operating along the coast. Jindal pledged state support for the development of economically friendly cars in northeastern Louisiana in conjunction with alternative energy advocate T. Boone Pickens. In September 2014, Jindal stated that global warming was more about increasing government regulation, and released an energy plan that was critical of the Obama Administration's policies.


Earmarks

In 2007, Jindal led the Louisiana House delegation and ranked 14th among House members in requested Earmark (politics), earmark funding at nearly $97 million (however in over 99% of these requests, Jindal was a co-sponsor and not the primary initiator of the earmark legislation). $5 million of Jindal's earmark requests were for state defense and indigent healthcare related expenditures, another $50 million was for increasing the safety of Louisiana's waterways and levees after breaches following
Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina was a destructive Category 5 Atlantic hurricane that caused over 1,800 fatalities and $125 billion in damage in late August 2005, especially in the city of New Orleans and the surrounding areas. It was at the time the cost ...
, and the remainder was targeted towards coastal restoration and alternative energy research. As governor, in 2008, Jindal used his line item veto to strike $16 million in earmarks from the state budget but declined to veto $30 million in legislator-added spending. Jindal vetoed over 250 earmarks in the 2008 state budget, twice the total number of such vetoes by previous governors in the preceding 12 years.


Opposition to Recovery Act

Jindal has been an opponent of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Citing concerns that the augmentation of unemployment insurance may obligate the state to raise taxes on businesses, Jindal had indicated his intention to forgo federal stimulus plan funds ($98 million) aimed at increasing unemployment insurance for Louisiana. Louisiana has since been obligated to raise taxes on businesses because the unemployment trust fund had dropped below the prescribed threshold. Louisiana was set to receive about $3.8 billion overall. Jindal intended to accept at least $2.4 billion from the stimulus package. He called parts of the plan "irresponsible", saying that "the way to lead is not to raise taxes and put more money and power in hands of Washington politicians."


No-go zones

In 2015, Jindal travelled to the UK to speak out against so-called "No-go area, no-go zones" that were allegedly in London and other western cities. British Prime Minister David Cameron had earlier stated that there were not any no-go zones in the UK. Jindal later confirmed his meaning "I knew that by speaking the truth we were going to make people upset." When later asked by CNN to provide specific examples, Jindal declined. He later added that some Muslim immigrants are trying to "colonize" cities in Europe and "overtake the culture", and that it could happen next in the U.S.


Personal life

Jindal was raised in a Hinduism, Hindu household. He is of Indian descent and is a U.S. citizen by Birthright citizenship in the United States, birthright. He converted to Christianity while in
Baton Rouge Magnet High School Baton Rouge Magnet High School (BRMHS or Baton Rouge High) is a public magnet school in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States, founded in 1880. It is part of the East Baton Rouge Parish School System with a student body of approximately 1500 stude ...
. During his first year at
Brown University Brown University is a private research university in Providence, Rhode Island. Brown is the seventh-oldest institution of higher education in the United States, founded in 1764 as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providenc ...
, he was baptized into the Catholic Church as an adult under the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA). Before Jindal was born, his father Amar Jindal was assistant professor of engineering at Punjab University in Chandigarh. After settling into Louisiana, Jindal's father went on to work with a Louisiana railroad company, and his mother transitioned into IT. Jindal's mother, Raj Jindal, serves now as information technology director for the Louisiana Workforce Commission (formerly the Louisiana Department of Labor) and served as Assistant Secretary to former State Labor Secretary Garey Forster during the administration of Gov. Mike Foster Jindal has a younger brother, Nikesh, who is a registered Republican and supported his brother's campaign for governor. Nikesh went to Dartmouth College, where he graduated with honors, and then
Yale Law School Yale Law School (Yale Law or YLS) is the law school of Yale University, a Private university, private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. It was established in 1824 and has been ranked as the best law school in the United States by ''U ...
. Nikesh is now a lawyer in Washington, D.C. Jindal's nickname dates to his childhood identification with Bobby Brady, a character from the 1970s sitcom ''The Brady Bunch''. He has been known by his nickname ever since, although his legal name remains Piyush Jindal. In 1997, Jindal married Supriya Jolly, who was born in New Delhi, New Delhi, India while her mother was visiting family there. Her parents lived in Baton Rouge at the time she was born. The two attended the same high school, but Supriya's family moved from Baton Rouge to New Orleans after her freshman year. Supriya Jindal earned a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering and an M.B.A. degree from Tulane University. She created The Supriya Jindal Foundation for Louisiana's Children, a non-profit organization aimed at improving math and science education in grade schools. They have three children: Selia Elizabeth, Shaan Robert, and Slade Ryan. Shaan was born with a congenital heart defect and had surgery as an infant. The Jindals have been outspoken advocates for children with congenital defects, particularly those without insurance. In 2006, he and his wife delivered their third child at home, with him receiving medical coaching by phone to deliver their boy. Jindal enjoys hunting in Louisiana. As of July 13, 2021, Jindal is the only living former Louisiana Governor following the death of his predecessors: Edwin Edwards (1972-1980; 1984-1988; 1992-1996), Buddy Roemer (1988-1992), Mike Foster (1996-2004) and
Kathleen Blanco Kathleen Marie Blanco (née Babineaux; December 15, 1942 – August 18, 2019) was an American politician who served as the 54th Governor of Louisiana from January 2004 to January 2008. A member of the Democratic Party, she was the first and, ...
(2004-2008).


Writings

A list of Jindal's published writings up to 2001 can be found in the hearing report for his 2001 U.S. Senate confirmation. They include newspaper columns, law review articles, and first authorships in several scientific and policy articles that have appeared in the prominent ''Journal of the American Medical Association'', ''Journal of the Louisiana State Medical Association'', and ''Hospital Outlook''. Jindal's pre-2001 writings include several articles in the ''New Oxford Review'', one of which later made news during his 2003 gubernatorial race. In a1994 article titled "Physical Dimensions of Spiritual Warfare", Jindal described the events leading up to an apparent exorcism of a friend and how he felt unable to help her at the time. However, Jindal questioned whether what he saw was actually an example of "spiritual warfare". In November 2010, Jindal published the book ''Leadership and Crisis'', a semi-autobiography significantly influenced by the Deepwater Horizon explosion and Deepwater Horizon oil spill, oil spill.


See also

* List of Asian Americans and Pacific Islands Americans in the United States Congress * Republican Party presidential candidates, 2016


References


External links


Bobby Jindal for governor
* *
Bobby Jindal: “I Am Running for President” (Full Transcript)
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