Bobby Jindal announces US presidential bid

Jun 25, 2015

Bobby Jindal, the governor of Louisiana, announced Wednesday he is running for president, becoming the 13th Republican to launch a 2016 campaign for the White House.

WASHINGTON - Bobby Jindal, the governor of Louisiana, announced Wednesday he is running for president, becoming the 13th Republican to launch a 2016 campaign for the White House.

Jindal, who would be the first American of Indian descent to make a major run for president, announced his intentions on Twitter, hours before an address before supporters in his home state.

"I'm running for president of the United States of America. Join me," he wrote, adding a link to his website which carried a short video showing Jindal telling his children that he is launching his campaign.

Jindal, 44, has been an intense critic of President Barack Obama's strategy for thwarting and defeating extremists including the Islamic State group.

He has slashed state spending, opposes same-sex marriage and a national education standard known as Common Core, and advocates for the repeal of Obama's health care reform law.

A graduate of Oxford, Jindal worked for the large consulting firm McKinsey & Company before returning to Louisiana to pursue a life in public service and politics.

Jindal is the son of immigrants, and in 2008, after a short stint in Congress, he became the nation's first Indian-American governor.

His domestic popularity is minimal so far. In a Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll released in mid-June, support for Jindal registered at less than one percent.

The Republican primary race is currently led by former Florida governor Jeb Bush, with 22 percent support, according to the poll.

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, who has yet to announce his campaign, was second with 17 percent. Senator Marco Rubio was third.

The plethora of candidates has led Fox News to limit to 10 the number of Republican hopefuls invited to the first televised debate of the primary cycle, on August 6.

The also-rans will be invited to a televised "forum" broadcast on the afternoon of the prime-time debate.

The 12 other Republicans officially in the race are: Bush, Ben Carson, Ted Cruz, Carly Fiorina, Lindsey Graham, Mike Huckabee, George Pataki, Rand Paul, Rick Perry, Rubio, Rick Santorum and Donald Trump.

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AFP

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