Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal announced his candidacy for president of the United States Wednesday at the Pontchartrain Center in Kenner, La., a suburb of New Orleans.
Before Jindal appeared on stage, a video message played from former New Orleans Saints quarterback Archie Manning, father of two Super Bowl winning quarterbacks, who called the governor “definitely a game changer for Louisiana.” Supriya Jindal introduced her husband and repeatedly used the word “fearless” to describe his record and pursuit of higher office.
Standing in front of supporters holding “Geaux Bobby” posters, Jindal told supporters about his journey to the governor’s mansion in Baton Rouge as the state fought to overcome Hurricane Katrina.
“My name is Bobby Jindal,” he said. “I am governor of Louisiana and I’m running for president of the greatest country in the world, the United States of America.”
Jindal said there are number of other “great talkers running for president,” but that no one can match his record.
“It’s time for the folks in Washington to admit the truth you can’t grow the economy and government at the same time,” he said. “Democrats evaluate success in terms of the prosperity of government. We define success in terms of the prosperity of our people.”
“I’m not running for president to be somebody, I’m running for president to do something.”
Jindal’s announcement likely came as little surprise to those in attendance. The Pelican State’s governor made his announcement on Twitter this afternoon, and followed it up with videos on Facebook that feature his family. The voyeuristic videos appear to be shot from a tree overlooking his family sitting outdoors while discussing his run for higher office.
Jindal is a long shot to win the nomination with the support of less than 1 percent of Republican voters, according to RealClearPolitics’ average of polls. But he is favored among many social conservatives who are willing to listen to his campaign.
Jindal is a staunch defender of religious liberty and he received raucous applause during his visit to the Faith and Freedom Coalition’s conference in Washington, D.C., this past weekend.
Last month, Jindal told the Washington Examiner that he would take executive action to protect religious liberty even if the Supreme Court ruled that a constitutional right to gay marriage exists when it decides Obergefell v. Hodges.
“Both statutorily as well as in executive orders, I think it’s important that we stand up for our First Amendment rights,” Jindal said at the Southern Republican Leadership Conference in Oklahoma City. “I would do everything I can to protect religious liberty.”
Jindal’s own state could become an obstacle for him as he pursues higher office. The governor had a 32-percentage point favorability rating in Louisiana, 10 points below President Obama in the same poll, conducted by Southern Media & Opinion Research earlier this month. A MarblePort/Hayride poll released last week showed Louisianans supported Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton by approximately two percentage points over their own governor.
As Jindal tours the country, especially the states featuring early Republican nominating contests, he often focuses on the issue of Islamic radicalism. Jindal, a Catholic convert who was raised a Hindu, he has won high praise from leading conservative commentators on the issue of combating Islamic terrorism.
Bob Vander Plaats, CEO of the social conservative organization the Family Leader, has previously told the Examiner that Jindal — alongside former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz — is among the candidates that have impressed him. Vander Plaats signaled his intention to make an endorsement around Thanksgiving, and will be holding a summit next month in Iowa that many GOP presidential candidates are scheduled to attend.
