It does say something about the state of the South today when the American-born son of Indian immigrants can get elected Governor of Louisiana at age 36:
MIAMI, Oct. 20 — Rep. Bobby Jindal (R) became the nation’s first Indian American governor Saturday, outpolling 11 rivals in Louisiana and drawing enough votes to avoid a runoff election next month.
With about 90 percent of the state’s nearly 4,000 precincts reporting, Jindal had 53 percent of the vote. His nearest competitor, state Sen. Walter J. Boasso (D), had 18 percent.
Louisiana holds an open gubernatorial election, with candidates of all parties competing. By drawing at least 50 percent of the vote, Jindal avoided a Nov. 17 runoff race with Boasso.
“Let’s give our homeland, the great state of Louisiana, a fresh start,” Jindal said to a cheering crowd at his victory party, according to the Associated Press.
Jindal, 36, was making his second attempt to become Louisiana’s first nonwhite governor since Reconstruction. The last one was P.B.S. Pinchback, a black Republican who served briefly between 1872 and 1873, at a time when many white voters were disenfranchised.
Jindal, whose given name is Piyush, is the American-born son of Indian immigrants; his parents moved from New Delhi to Baton Rouge so his mother could take graduate classes at Louisiana State University.
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Especially with targeted audiences, Jindal could speak to the Republican base. He professed his opposition to abortion, signaled a willingness to consider the teaching of intelligent design, and discussed the need to cut taxes.
In television ads and other, broader appeals, Jindal focused on his competence and integrity.
“We’ve got a government that’s out of control,” he said in his stump speech. “We’ve got a government that spends our money without any regard. We’re in the top five in having the most crooked politicians in America. We’re going to change that.”
If nothing else, it will be interesting to watch this guy.
