Louisiana Governor To Be Youngest In U.S.

36-year-old Son of Indian Immigrants Beats 11 Opponents In Louisiana Gubernatorial Race

(CBS/AP)  U.S. Rep. Bobby Jindal won the Louisiana governor's race Saturday, becoming the nation's youngest governor and the first non-white to hold the state's post since Reconstruction.

Jindal, the Republican 36-year-old son of Indian immigrants, carried more than half the vote against 11 opponents. With about 92 percent of the vote in, Jindal had 53 percent with 625,036 votes - more than enough to win outright and avoid a Nov. 17 runoff.

"Let's give our homeland, the great state of Louisiana, a fresh start," Jindal said to cheers and applause from a crowd that began chanting his name at his victory party.

His nearest competitors: Democrat Walter Boasso with 208,690 votes or 18 percent; Independent John Georges had 1167,477 votes or 14 percent; Democrat Foster Campbell had 151,101 or 13 percent. Eight candidates divided the rest.

"I'm asking all of our supporters to get behind our new governor," Georges said in a concession speech.

The Oxford-educated Jindal had lost the governor's race four years ago to Gov. Kathleen Blanco. He won a congressional seat in conservative suburban New Orleans a year later but was widely believed to have his eye on the governor's mansion.

Blanco opted not to run for re-election after she was widely blamed for the state's slow response to hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005.

The incumbent told CBS News affiliate WAFB that this is the first time in 24 years that she is not on an election ballot and she's enjoying the vacation from the political sniping.

"They would have begun attacking me because that's just the way the political game is played," Blanco said. "What I'm hoping is that the right person gets elected who will not stop the momentum of the things we have accomplished in our four years, but build on it."

When he takes office in January, Jindal will become the nation's youngest governor in office. He pledged to fight corruption and rid the state of those "feeding at the public trough," revisiting a campaign theme.

"They can either go quietly or they can go loudly, but either way, they will go," he said, adding that he would call the Legislature into special session to address ethics reform.

Political analysts said Jindal built up support as a sort of "buyer's remorse" from people who voted for Blanco last time and had second thoughts about that decision. Blanco was widely criticized for the state's response to Hurricane Katrina and she announced months ago that she would not seek re-election.

"I think the Jindal camp, almost explicitly, (wanted) to cast it this way: If you were able to revote, who would you vote for?" said Pearson Cross, a University of Louisiana at Lafayette political scientist.

Jindal has held a strong lead in the polls since the field of candidates became settled nearly two months ago.

But the two multimillionaires in the race - Boasso, a state senator from St. Bernard Parish, and Georges, a New Orleans-area businessman - poured millions of their own dollars into their campaigns to try to prevent Jindal's victory.

Campbell, a public service commissioner from Bossier Parish, had less money but ran on a singular plan: scrapping the state income tax on businesses and individuals and levying a new tax on oil and gas processed in Louisiana.

The race was one of the highest-spending in Louisiana history. Jindal alone raised $11 million, and Georges poured about $10 million of his personal wealth into his campaign war chest while Boasso plugged in nearly $5 million of his own cash.

A victory Saturday would be a rare trip to statewide office for a minority in the South - in a state that 16 years ago famously saw a former Ku Klux Klan leader, David Duke, in a runoff for governor. Duke lost that race.

The victory marks a rare trip to statewide office for a minority in the South - in a state that 16 years ago famously saw a former Ku Klux Klan leader, David Duke, in a runoff for governor. Duke lost that race.

Some black political leaders complained Saturday of problems at polls in New Orleans, where many people have moved around since Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005.

State Elections Commissioner Angie LaPlace said she had expected many complaints because a check of voters' addresses found that a "ton" had moved, and those whose mail is forwarded must vote in the precinct where they now get mail.

[alphaa10-2009]

CBS reports, "Blanco opted not to run for re-election after she was widely blamed for the state''s slow response to hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005."
---
Irony of ironies-- the bozo watching from FEMA who made most of Katrina possible was Bush. Heckuva job!

CBS reports, "(Jindal) pledged to fight corruption and rid the state of those "feeding at the public trough..."
---
Starting with Halliburton?

CBS reports, "... (quoting LaPlace) a check of voters'' addresses found that a "ton" had moved, and those whose mail is forwarded must vote in the precinct where they now get mail.
---
A few hundred thousand confused voters here, a few hundred thousand there, and my friend, you have an election upset. Jindal''s margin was large, but who is to say the confusion operated against him?

[name_verify]

The voters have spoken. It is now the verdict of history. Democrats are getting all the blame for the Katrina mess. Another great failure of the Libs, a state they controlled for generations, for over 100 years, now slipping away to conservatives. A successful non white conservative too -- which means that Libs have no cards left to play whatsoever.

[j_flood]

Hmmmm... We get a good few Presidents from the Governors of our states.... Wasn''t Bush a Governor??

Congrats Gov-elect Jindal!

[grazinggoat]

CBS reports, "... (quoting LaPlace) a check of voters'''' addresses found that a "ton" had moved, and those whose mail is forwarded must vote in the precinct where they now get mail.
---
A few hundred thousand confused voters here, a few hundred thousand there, and my friend, you have an election upset. Jindal''''s margin was large, but who is to say the confusion operated against him?
Posted by alphaa10 at 01:42 AM : Oct 21, 2007

-Quote from sevenpesos: nothing good comes from the south. And he/she is right, I start to believe!

-Did his wife cook Kerry Chicken and he did Rice?

[drivelphobe]

I would have loved to have seen Nagin''s face when this was announced. This is good news for the country. It''s out with the old and in with the new. The illegals better get packed up and those who don''t speak English better start learning. This is the beginning of Replacement Politics.

[hypnotoad72]

Congrats!! I like the tone he presents.

Now, as Governor, I hope he helps the Louisiana people who elected him, and doesn''t go flying off to foreign countries to expand on ludicrous "trade" deals already hurting us (amongst the other pork and trough things the career politician governors frequently engage in).

[panhandlpete]

Did he say his family came from India to pursue the American Dream? I would dare say they came in the front door....all legal. Let''s hope they did, and hope that he makes sure any illegals leave the state of Louisanna as an example to the rest of the states. This way there might be a chance for some more of his relatives to come here to pursue the American Dream if they choose to.

Will be watching and waiting for his campaign promises of ridding the state of "public trough feeder".

[chalres-2009]

I hope he shows our state how to save money. At 36, his wife an engineer, and him being a politician, he has saved 1.5 million just by saving. Please pass the secret on.....

[realpatriot1]

His election represents a rare trip to statewide office for minorities anywhere, not jut in the south.

He seems like a smart guy and I haven''t heard him exploiting any wedge issues to get elected. I hope he''s successful at ending corruption, but then i''m not as cynical as Nancy Naive.

[cryonbrian]

Reconstruction Period is a very important part of American History but it isnever taught! If you start to study it you will see why! Very tragic!

[bwright923]

-Quote from sevenpesos: nothing good comes from the south. And he/she is right, I start to believe!

Funny, I remember hearing that about a little place called Nazareth.

"Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael asked. "Come and see," said Philip. -John 1:46

[asor1-2009]

Were it not for the California Governor, he would also be the biggest fibber; "Let''s give our homeland, the great state of Louisiana, a fresh start," His "homeland"?

[missingamerica]

I wonder if he has the ''n@ds - or the will - to address the corruption that appears to dog the Katrina rebuilding process.

Those "trough feeders" are from his own Party...

[Krazcarl]

This was a landslide even disputed votes won''t make a difference looks like the louies see promise in this young man not familiar with Louisiana politics but he seamed to captivate the crowd and wish him my best.

[likeitis5050]

If he holds true to getting rid of the ''trough feeders'', it will confirm a pattern showing up through local governments nation wide. People are electing people not so concerned with ''being politically correct'' or ''keeping bridges of communication open between special inerest or corporate bullies'' and getting down and dirty to rid cities and states of rooted corruption and feelings of status quo. I hope the trend continues. In this case it needs to ''gush up'' instead of ''trickle down''. Federal government is awash in this ''you tickle me I tickle you'' kind of backdoor wheeling and dealing that succeeds only in obstructing the progress Americans most want to see, party biases aside.

Someone has to show them how it''s done...why not local government?

[terrapin78]

I wonder how many displaced Katrina voters that were Dems that no longer live in the state would have affected the outcome?

[grazinggoat]

-Quote from sevenpesos: nothing good comes from the south. And he/she is right, I start to believe!

Funny, I remember hearing that about a little place called Nazareth.

"Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael asked. "Come and see," said Philip. -John 1:46
Posted by bwright923 at 10:22 AM : Oct 21, 2007

-Are you pretending Jeasus was born there ( in Lafayette,La, Croccodile Alleys, Fl or Is it stinky Alabama,Ga?
Halleluja!!!!!

[bobanderma]

I wonder what the State''s official language will be? Next time you call Microsoft Tech Support, or some of the other BIG corporations, ask where they are talking to you from!

[erpcat]

wow!!! I can not believe he has not been called a terrorist, oh just right he is a repub. Now that all the low income, the working class people & the demo gov are longer in NO, watch the money come in from the fed gov''t now.

[erichsh]

What a surprise. This is the first time I have seen the phrase "widely blamed" used against anyone but Bush with respect to Katrina - even though the evidence at the time clearly pointed to Nagin and Blanco. And, had the situation been reversed (Democrat beating a Republican), the election results would have been much more widely published and spun as an indictment against Bush.

[lawandorder7]

Maybe this means some of the states like IN will lose some of there immigrants,they can all go to Louisiana and work. I can''t belive what what we have become. To think we had men die in two real wars, to get to this LOW point.

[vancouverboo]

Non-white? Indians are as white as Europeans. But why do you have to be racist about it, CBS?

[barbaraf4]

"I wonder how many displaced Katrina voters that were Dems that no longer live in the state would have affected the outcome?" Posted by Terrapin78

Somehow I don''t think it matters anymore. Louisiana has become an invisible eyesore. I don''t think it will ever recover from the problems of poverty and Katrina. The new governor? He and his family look like the Stepford Family.

[hypnotoad72]

asor1 - it''s possible he''s replaced his home country with Louisiana as his adopted home.

[fullofrhapso]

I am very excited as a Louisiana resident to have Bobby Jindal as our new Governor in charge. It does not matter race to me. I was married to an East Indian man and they are actually very intelligent individuals with high moral character and possess innate characteristics just like any other individuals to succeed in life. I agree with one of the other postings that Indians are just like Caucasians. Good Job Bobby. Please keep your promise to clean the corruption up in Louisiana!

[fullofrhapso]

I am very excited as a Louisiana resident to have Bobby Jindal as our new Governor in charge. It does not matter race to me. I was married to an East Indian man and they are actually very intelligent individuals with high moral character and possess innate characteristics just like any other individuals to succeed in life. I agree with one of the other postings that Indians are just like Caucasians. Good Job Bobby. Please keep your promise to clean the corruption up in Louisiana!

[tiddsanbeer]

ERICSH NAILS IT!!

The headline of this story should be "LANDSLIDE VICTORY FOR GOP GOV SEEN AS REBUKE TO DEMS HANDLING OF KATRINA"!!!!

But oh no....cbs tries to make "age" and "race" the main point of this election...another mainstream media far t to cover up the truth. What a disgrace.

You folks in LA. are not as dumb as the MSM depicts you.

Let''s pray the GOP continues to clean up its act and elect more honest politicians and get rid of the ones that have embarrased us for years.

As a republican, I will NOT stand by any of our reps that are crooked, but encourage their ousting, so that we,as a party, can re-take the majority in the future...our children depend on us.

The dems will continue to stand by their corrupt reps, no matter what, which will be the reason their party will fail in the coming years.

Birth control for a child. Condoms on cucumbers. Tolerance of immoral conduct.Gay parades. Partial birth abortion. Teachers unions running our school system. MTV. Language and nudity on television. Famous Celebritys going down as "victims". Blame your president for everything.

Too much of ANYTHING is bad...this includes diversity.

[thgdriver]

The writing on the wall is very clear. The media, liberals, Demonrats can hammer all day and night against us true American Republicans. The bottom line-- Like I said, the beat thing that could have happened to us was to lose the midterm elections to the Demonrats. They have had over a year now and haven''t done squat. The people of Louisiana who think for themselves have spoken! Come November A lot of Demonrats are going to be asking "what happened"? Thinking people are a lot smarter then the likes of Hillary Clinton and CBS will ever give them credit for.

[ringading3]

A resounding defeat of the Democrats in Louisiana! Senator Mary Landrieu your days are numbered. Better steal as much as you can now. All the crooks and vote buyers are going to be thrown out!

[ringading3]

Democrats love minorities, except when they are Republicans! LOL

Indians are as white as Caucasians? Exactly what parallel universe do you live in? Race is not an issue here but, the state of Louisiana is. Frankly, the man has some good ideas and some ideas that sing of being a conformist to certain areas of Louisiana that have been incredibly harsh on relations. I think that Mr. Jidal should take an honest look at his comments at hate crime law repeal before carrying out a new form of justice and be labeled as wolf in brown clothing. This is a not a perfect nation nor is Louisiana a perfect state and so race relationships need to be bridged. It would be refreshing if a man could embrace who he truly is not what he wants to appear to others to forge a greater state of Louisiana.

I have no issue whatsoever with an Indian American serving as long Bobby remembers that he is there to serve all of Louisiana and not just those that he would covet. As with those before him, time will be his judge but, in the mean time I wish him well.

[downsteamjim]

Democrats need to be upset with purging of voter rolls. Checking to see where people live is very similar to Republican plans to require photo proof before voting. This is making it harder and harder for the dead to vote. Imagine being able to vote in only one location in each election. Who knows maybe my dog will lose his right to vote?

[ov442]

great! another disaster for Louisiana.
Democrats should be upset by the continued voter fraud the republicans have pushed in every possible state they can get their hands on. I wonder when someone will decide that honor and integrity are worth something in this country and put all the republican liars, cheaters, greedy scumbags and the worst this world has to offer - GOP supporters behind bars permanently.
O thats right, the republicans keep re-writing the constitution and legislative law to make it a worse offense for a desperate person to steal $75 bucks from a liquor store, than it is to steal 400 billion dollars in tax money from the entire populace of the united states, just so their rich buddies can get richer and keep buying off lying sacks of c_rap to support them with no integrity at all.

[antoniof123]

Look at it this way just another dumb state going to get whats coming to them.

[erichsh]

Amen, tiddsandbeer (uh-oh, didn''t mean to upset the moonbat Christian-haters...) Speaking of corrupt democrats, LA. got rid of one loser, but they still have William "cold cash" Jefferson in office. Not to go off-topic here, but what are "tidds"? (the beer part I understand)

[erichsh]

ov442 - tell me again? I (a GOP supporter) should be in jail - just because I don''t support your party or your POV? Seriously, repeat that phrase. And then go and defend it, in light of the "compassion", "support for dissent", "free speech", and "inclusiveness" that you liberals all purport to stand for. Yeesh.

[erichsh]

Newsflash! I just figured the whole thing out. Bush''s global-warming-inducing policies caused Katrina, which in turn drove minorities out of LA., which in turn allowed a Repug to steal the election. Yes, it all makes sense now.

[rmsdm4]

LA was the liberal utopia dems always dreamed of and look what happened. When all you depend on is the gov''t you get FEMA.

[rohink-2009]

LA was the liberal utopia dems always dreamed of and look what happened. When all you depend on is the gov''''t you get FEMA.

Posted by rmsdm4

````````````````````
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I am in total agreement with you. You know what FEMA stands for? Fix everything my A$$

[shanev137]

Hilarious that some of the candidates tried to buy their way into office with their own money. I''m glad people like that lose elections.

[bdrlnt4rl]

maybe he can pull la out of the swamp and staighten this up!

[ringading3]

Well the DumboCraps have elected a majority in the House, now what have they actually done? At least they have not raised our taxes, yet!

[alphaa10-2009]

j_flood said, "Hmmmm... We get a good few Presidents from the Governors of our states.... Wasn''''t Bush a Governor??..."
---
Not really. He masqueraded as a fiscal conservative, but his spoils system and crony politics rewarded camp followers lavishly with no-bid contracts in taxpayer dollars-- a bad hahit which only became worse when he went to Washington.

Bush had a $1 billion Tax "budget surplus"-- but then overspent the surplus in a $1.7 billion tax break (quid pro quo) for the wealthy minority (oilmen, agricultural combines, developers and lobbies) that was his campaign funding base. Following that, Bush had to charge Texas citizens $600 million more for Medicaid and prison costs. Net result-- more burden for the average taxpayer to fund the Bush tax break for his wealthy clientele..The same bad habit became his national tax policy, handing the wealthy minority he annointed "the HaveMores" massive, unaffordable tax breaks. then borrowing on the US national debt to make it up, on paper.

Bush also called himself a "compassionate conservative", yet set a record for the number of executions. Bush steadily ignored regions of outright squalor along the Texas border towns and turned a blind eye to nutritional needs of 1 million small children, despite available federal funds. Bush refused to sign a Texas hate crimes law, saluted South Carolina''s decision to fly a Confederate flag over its capitol and visited Bob Jones University, known at the time for its racist policies.

[ringading3]

We have not swept out all the crooks yet, e.g. Alario, Broussard, Landrieu, but we are well on our way.

[alphaa10-2009]

RingADing3 said, "Well the DumboCraps have elected a majority in the House, now what have they actually done? At least they have not raised our taxes, yet!"
---
No taxes from the GOP? Think again, Dumbeau! The GOP has raised taxes for our grandchildren by six years of greedy and foolish Bush fiscal policy, not to mention Bush''s huge $500 billion-plus Iraqscam on America.

Our grandkids also will pay for Bush tax breaks to his pet group, which Bush calls the HaveMores. Bush will borrow and spend, borrow and spend, and let others cover his debt. That "other" is the American taxpayer.

You ask, "What have Democrats done?" Only one who hasn''t paid attention is unaware the GOP minority still has the votes to block Democratic bills, and also can prevent the congress from overriding a Bush veto. Bush vetoed no GOP session bills for any reason, but now uses political correctness to stop even funding for federal government functions under the Democratic leadership. This is called gridlock, and Bush and the GOP is proud to make it happen.

[kennergirl]

Well it''s easy to make comments on something most of you guys haven''t seen with your own eyes. If you think the mass media is telling you the WHOLE story you are sadly mistaken.

As for Bobby Jindal being the our new governor elect I am very pleased. He is a very intelligent man and I hope he does a good job as governor.

[alphaa10-2009]

rmsdm4 said, "LA was the liberal utopia... and look what happened. When all you depend on is the gov''''t you get FEMA."
---
New Orleans is no liberal utopia, and the word "utopia", itself, means "nowhere" (in case that slipped by you).

If you knew more about what happened to FEMA, you never would have blamed anybody but Bush. Under liberal Clinton, FEMA got its highest marks and approval from the states.

But under Bush, Sr. and Bush, Jr., FEMA became a rest-home for Bush political cronies, and basically fell into ruin. FEMA''s budget was axed and axed again by an indifferent Bush to pay for tax breaks for the wealthy and fiascos in the MidEast. Bush crippled FEMA''s outreach and coordination with the states, and FEMA''s best people were allowed to leave the agency.

One year before Katrina, Bush was comatose about the threat to New Orleans from a major hurricane, and refused to authorize sound, permanent reworking of the levee system around the city, sealing its fate.

The chief of the US Army Corps of Engineers resigned under pressure when he vigorously protested the years of Bush budgetary neglect.

[alphaa10-2009]

kennergirl said, "... it''''s easy to make comments on something most of you guys haven''''t seen with your own eyes. If you think the mass media is telling you the WHOLE story you are sadly mistaken...
---
Right. There are people who believe every word Faux News Network brings them. But there always is something to be said for good camerawork.

Would you say Halliburton is earning its keep?

[xlib]

beecuster-Tell us how great the state was run when the dems had it for decades. Come on, tell us. Take a look lefty, look at states that have been hit with disasters and see which ones were totally inept in preparedness and response. All democratic held. And by the way, first response is always to be local. When another hurriane hits, and it will, maybe this guy won''t play politics and call out the guard in a timely manner. Maybe he''ll step in when mayors just sit by and don''t order a mandatory evacuation.
And maybe, just maybe, he''ll turn the state around. Then again, you libs love victims.

[xlib]

alphaa10-so I can assume that you sent your tax rebate check back? Then again, maybe you don''t pay taxes but still DEMAND more money.
As for the deficit, take a look lib, it''s going down and we are still at war. We can thank bubba for gutting the military during his regime. You know, when he was supposedly on top of terrorism which culminated in 9/11.
Oh yea, you guys don''t believe in terrorism do you. Just race baiting and class envy.
So, send your money back.