Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, speaking in the early presidential state of Iowa Tuesday, said he doesn’t want the “party establishment” picking political candidates.
Mr. Jindal said that former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, who announced Tuesday he’s actively exploring a bid for president in 2016, will have a great opportunity to make his case to voters if he runs.
“I’m absolutely opposed to this idea of party insiders, the party establishment, donors or anybody other than voters picking our candidates, picking our nominees for us, picking our leaders for us,” Mr. Jindal told reporters, according to the Des Moines Register.
Asked if he believed Mr. Bush, who is the son of a former president and the brother of another former president, was part of that establishment, Mr. Jindal - who’s openly weighing a White House run himself - said the former governor has a wealth of experience from his time in Florida and that he’d have many opportunities to present himself to voters.
“When I say I don’t want the establishment picking our nominee, I mean folks like donors and folks in D.C.,” he said.
“I think it should be an open contest where the voters get to decide who they want to lead them,” Mr. Jindal said. “When I say I don’t want the establishment picking our leaders, what I’m talking about is that some folks have suggested ’well, you don’t want a lot of candidates fighting each other or debating each other - it may be messy’…you know what? Democracy’s messy.”
Mr. Jindal was in Iowa speaking to Polk County Republicans in one of several visits he’s recently made to the state. The Register reported he’s also heading back in early January to hold closed-door meetings with state religious leaders.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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