Katrina Response Makes Bobby Jindal Frontrunner for Governor

India West, News Report, Richard Springer, Posted: Jan 25, 2007

In a bid to become the first Indian American governor in the United States, U.S . Congressman Bobby Jindal, R-La., has announced his candidacy for governor of Louisiana.
 
Significantly, a recent independent poll said he would soundly crush current Democratic Governor Kathleen Blanco - who has been under fire by the slow pace of recovery after hurricanes Katrina and Rita - in any rematch of their 2003 race.
 
In an e-mail to supporters Jan. 22, the 35-year-old Jindal said, "Our state, our communities, and our families have been through some very tough times. There is clearly a hunger for a new approach to governing."
 
He also told the Associated Press Jan. 22 that the state's leadership has the opportunity to correct long-standing problems in health care and education.
 
"The stakes are a lot higher. It's a brand new race," he said. "This isn't about looking backward. This is about looking to Louisiana's future."
 
The poll, conducted Jan. 13-14 by Southern Media and Opinion Research, said about 59 percent of 600 likely voters said they would vote for Jindal, while 35 percent prefer Blanco.
 
The survey also found that the state's voters have made up their minds about the governor's race, with the primary set for Oct. 20 and a runoff, if needed, Nov. 17.
 
In a three-way race with Democratic public service commissioner Foster Campbell, the totals are: Jindal, 58 percent; Blanco, 31 percent; and Campbell, 6 percent.
 
Fewer than seven percent of those surveyed are undecided or refused to specify the candidate they would vote for in a race between Jindal and Blanco.
 
In the open-seat contest in 2003 to replace Gov. Mike Foster, a Republican who was subject to term limits and threw his support behind Jindal, almost 40 percent of voters were uncommitted two months before the primary.
 
"Everybody has already made up their mind(s)," Southern Media's Bernie Pinsonat told the New Orleans Times-Picayune. "Her (Blanco's) task - and it's tougher by the day - is to change minds."
 
Jindal's biggest lead is in the New Orleans region, where he swamps Blanco 72 percent to 22 percent. A native of Baton Rouge, La., Jindal represents the 1st Congressional District, which includes parts of Orleans, Jefferson and St. Charles parishes and all of St. Tammany Parish.
 
Blanco also trails Jindal, 33 percent to 62 percent, in her home region of southwest Louisiana and is nearly dead even with the Indian American Republican in north Louisiana. The poll has a possible error factor of plus or minus four percent.
 
Pinsonat told the Times-Picayune that the results could put pressure on Blanco to bow out in favor of other Democrats who are seen having a better chance against Jindal. However, Blanco also trailed Jindal in the polls before the 2003 runoff, but won by a 52 percent to 48 percent margin.
 
"This poll is just one snapshot of a campaign that has not even begun," Cynthia Dupree, Blanco's chief fundraiser, told the newspaper.
 
Pinsonat said the poll could also discourage Republicans from running. Two Republicans, state Senator Walter Boasso and Metairie, La. businessman John Georges, have expressed interest.


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