REPUBLICAN BOBBY JINDAL ALL SET TO ANNOUNCE WHITE HOUSE RUN TODAY
Wednesday, 24/06/2015
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WASHINGTON: Piyush “Bobby” Jindal, Louisiana’s Republican governor is all set to announce a run for the White House Wednesday, becoming the first Indian American to seek that office.
“Geaux (a play on French for Go) Bobby,” said a picture tweeted Monday by Jindal inviting people to buy the last few remaining tickets to an announcement in New Orleans.
Jindal set up an exploratory committee last month to explore his chances, an occasional, but mandatory, first-step towards a fullfledged run. He seems convinced he has a chance or can make a fight of it. But his candidacy will have mixed traction with the Indian-American community, which is wooed actively by all parties and politicians for their support and, more importantly, their money.
Jindal has insisted in recent comments he is tired of hyphenated Americans. His parent, who are from Punjab, didn’t come to the US to raise Indian-Americans, he said in April, but raise Americans. And that’s what he is. Many in the community rolled their eyes.
But his troubles go beyond the lack or presence of community support. He has trailed badly in all opinion polls of Republican candidates — figuring in the bottom four or five.
Jindal came in at the 11th place in a field of 13 candidates in the most recent poll, done by The Wall Street Journal and NBC. An announcement is known to give a bounce, but he may need a little more than that to get a fair shot. Because of the size of the Republican field, the number of those invited to the crucial primary debates is being kept to the top 10, according to polling numbers.
Jindal, at his present polling, doesn’t make the cut.
