Bobby Jindal ends presidential bid
Gov. Bobby Jindal ended his presidential bid on Tuesday (Nov. 17), telling Fox News' Bret Baier that "it is not my time."
Jindal had been trailing in the polls throughout much of the race. He launched his campaign on June 24 with a strategy that began with an early focus on New Hampshire on Iowa, then soon shifted to focusing exclusively on the Hawkeye State.
The Louisiana governor was often an asterisk in the national polls, but his campaign consistently argued that he was on the rise in Iowa. Through a mix of town hall meetings and campaign stops at Pizza Ranch restaurants, the governor made an appeal to Iowa's social conservatives by talking up his fight against Planned Parenthood and the religious freedom executive order he issued in response to the Supreme Court's decision legalizing gay marriage.
"I cannot tell you what an honor it has been to run for President of the United States of America. My parents came to this country 45 years ago searching for freedom and a chance," Jindal said in a statement. "When I was born, we lived in student housing at LSU, and never in their wildest dreams did they think their son would have the opportunity to serve as Governor of Louisiana or to run for President."
"They raised me to believe Americans can do anything, and they were right, we can," Jindal continued. "But this is not my time, so I am suspending my campaign for President."
While Jindal struggled on the campaign trail, his problems also worsened in Louisiana. State officials revealed Monday morning that Louisiana has a nearly $500 million shortfall in its current budget cycle, a problem Jindal will have to spend in last few weeks as governor addressing.
Louisiana's financial problems had followed Jindal onto the presidential campaign trail. During a recent national debate appearance, moderators asked Jindal not just one -- but three questions -- about Louisiana's financial woes. The state's continuing budget crisis was starting to affect Jindal's credibility as a candidate.
Louisiana residents also have been too keen on Jindal's national ambitions the governor's approval rating within the state has plummeted to all-time low of just 20 percent, according to a recent University of New Orleans poll.
Former Gov. Mike Foster, Jindal's mentor, said he was proud to see Jindal launch a presidential campaign, even if it ended earlier than he would have liked. Foster launched Jindal's political career back in 1996, when he hired him to run Louisiana's Department of Health and Hospitals. Jindal was only 24 years old at the time.
"Bobby was the sort of guy that had his life mapped out. He always knew what he was going to do," said Foster in an interview.
Jindal had been trailing in the polls throughout much of the race. He launched his campaign on June 24 with a strategy that began with an early focus on New Hampshire on Iowa, then soon shifted to focusing exclusively on the Hawkeye State.
The Louisiana governor was often an asterisk in the national polls, but his campaign consistently argued that he was on the rise in Iowa. Through a mix of town hall meetings and campaign stops at Pizza Ranch restaurants, the governor made an appeal to Iowa's social conservatives by talking up his fight against Planned Parenthood and the religious freedom executive order he issued in response to the Supreme Court's decision legalizing gay marriage.
Story by
The Times-Picayune
But with the low poll numbers, Jindal was never able to appear during the major televised presidential debates, having been relegated to second-tier status with candidates like New York Gov. George Pataki and former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum. That lack of visibility made it difficult for Jindal to raise money, and when he posted disappointing campaign fundraising totals in October, speculation about the end of the campaign began in earnest.
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The Times-Picayune
"I cannot tell you what an honor it has been to run for President of the United States of America. My parents came to this country 45 years ago searching for freedom and a chance," Jindal said in a statement. "When I was born, we lived in student housing at LSU, and never in their wildest dreams did they think their son would have the opportunity to serve as Governor of Louisiana or to run for President."
"They raised me to believe Americans can do anything, and they were right, we can," Jindal continued. "But this is not my time, so I am suspending my campaign for President."
While Jindal struggled on the campaign trail, his problems also worsened in Louisiana. State officials revealed Monday morning that Louisiana has a nearly $500 million shortfall in its current budget cycle, a problem Jindal will have to spend in last few weeks as governor addressing.
Louisiana's financial problems had followed Jindal onto the presidential campaign trail. During a recent national debate appearance, moderators asked Jindal not just one -- but three questions -- about Louisiana's financial woes. The state's continuing budget crisis was starting to affect Jindal's credibility as a candidate.
Louisiana residents also have been too keen on Jindal's national ambitions the governor's approval rating within the state has plummeted to all-time low of just 20 percent, according to a recent University of New Orleans poll.
Former Gov. Mike Foster, Jindal's mentor, said he was proud to see Jindal launch a presidential campaign, even if it ended earlier than he would have liked. Foster launched Jindal's political career back in 1996, when he hired him to run Louisiana's Department of Health and Hospitals. Jindal was only 24 years old at the time.
"Bobby was the sort of guy that had his life mapped out. He always knew what he was going to do," said Foster in an interview.
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