Sunday, October 21, 2007

Another Republican Immigrant becomes a US Governor



Piyush "Bobby" Jindal (India) has joined the ranks of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (Austria), Gov. Jennifer Granholm (Canada) and former Gov. Gary Locke (China) as a child of immigrant parents who has become a US governor.

Some interesting facts about Jindal. He was born in 1971 in Baton Rouge to newly arrived Indian immigrants. He attended Brown University and Oxford University. Jindal, was twice elected as a member of the US House of Representatives from a New Orleans suburb. Prior to his election to Congress, he has held various high-level posts, including an appointment by President Bush. He will now be the youngest Governor in the US, at 36.

Jindal is the second Indian-American to serve in Congress after Dalip Singh Saund, a Democrat who represented California's 29th District from 1957 to 1963.

Religious & conservative views:

Jindal, who was born as a Hindu, converted to Catholicism during high school. Jindal made a particular campaign target of conservative northern and eastern parishes of Louisiana by visiting them frequently and bringing his brand of devout Christianity to their rural churches.

Jindal is a Republican and strong supporter of the Iraq war, off-shore oil drilling, Real-ID Act, guns, and pro-life.

While running for Governorship, Jindal did not have the support of a majority of Blacks, about a third of the population, who usually vote Democratic.



Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Jindal ; http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/The_United_States/Jindal_faces_challenges_ahead_as_Louisiana_Governor/articleshow/2478539.cms