Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal Wins Landslide Re-Election

The country's first Indian American governor wins his re-election bid in Louisiana. Some say the White House is the next stop.

By Jorge Rivas Oct 24, 2011

Republican Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal won his re-election bid with 66 percent of the vote in a 10-way primary on Saturday. It’s the highest victory percentage the state has ever seen since it instituted its current voting system back in 1973. He won every one of the 64 parishes (they’re Louisiana’s counties).

When Jindal took the oath of office on January 14, 2008, he became the youngest head of state in the country and the first Indian American to win a governorship. Jindal’s made headlines over the past few years because of his criticism of president Obama and his unabashed conservative stances, including a proposal to privatize the state’s health insurance program for an estimated 250,000 workers. During last year’s birther mania, Jindal — himself the child of immigrant parents — ironically endorsement a birther bill that would revoke citizenship from the children of immigrants.

Despite the criticism he’s taken from liberals, Jindal is still a conservative favorite. And people are once again speculating that the governor may one day run for president.

The New Orleans Times-Picayune’s Stephanie Grace described Jindal’s victory as a "mandate," adding that the governor is likely to make major pushes on education and health care reform over his next four years — issues with major resonance at the national level.