Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal announced his intention to exit the 2016 presidential race on Tuesday night, but his top aides said he began thinking of dropping out a few weeks ago.
Curt Anderson, Jindal’s chief strategist, told reporters that the campaign ended, in part, because it did not have the cash. But the campaign also says it will not report any debt.
In a call with reporters, Jindal’s top aides sounded baffled by the contours of the 2016 race.
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“If anybody on this call or if any of you know anyone who sort of predicted the way this campaign has gone with the two gentlemen who’d be in first place, you’re smarter than anyone else in the world,” Anderson said. “It’s been a bizarre race. I don’t know that any of us can explain it.”
Jindal is the third governor from the Republican field to exit the race this year. Similar to Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s failed campaign, Jindal invested much of his time stumping across Iowa. Timmy Teepell, Jindal’s campaign manager, appeared to hint that the Hawkeye State may not have seen the last of Louisiana’s governor.
“A lot of campaigns end with people pointing fingers at each other. You’re not going to see that with this campaign. We take responsibility,” Teepell said. “Bobby was the youngest candidate in this race. He was the youngest candidate running. He has a bright future and I don’t know exactly what he’ll do next, but I know that he’ll keep driving the debate.”
Jindal has legislative experience as the former representative of Louisiana’s first district, but his staff said he had no interest in returning to Congress as a U.S. senator. After making his decision to quit the 2016 race public on Fox News, Jindal will board a plane bound for Louisiana on Tuesday night where he will serve out his remaining few months as governor.
