BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - Gov. Bobby Jindal announced Thursday he’s creating a new political action committee to assist conservative candidates running for Congress, another move that could help position him for a possible presidential candidacy.
Louisiana’s Republican governor said his PAC has been named “Stand Up to Washington.”
“Americans are furious with our federal government, and they see the institutions in Washington, D.C., as wholly unaccountable. It’s not time simply to make a few tweaks in Washington. It’s time for Americans to organize a hostile takeover,” Jindal said in a statement.
The PAC will give Jindal continued opportunities to travel the country, build name recognition, bolster his fundraising network and draw support in other states, as he eyes a potential 2016 national campaign.
Jindal’s second term as governor ends in early 2016, and he’s term-limited from running again. Asked repeatedly about his White House ambitions, Jindal says he doesn’t yet know if he will run for president, but has acknowledged he’s considering it.
The governor traveled Thursday to the important presidential primary state of New Hampshire, for two speaking events scheduled a day later.
He’s spent much of his time during his six years as governor on the road, talking to GOP groups in other states, supporting Republican candidates and promoting his achievements in Louisiana. The consistent travel schedule has been unpopular at home and is considered one of the reasons his approval ratings in Louisiana are low.
A few months ago, Jindal set up a nonprofit called America Next to push conservative policy ideas and position himself as one of the intellectual leaders of the Republican Party. He said conservatives must offer more recommendations on issues instead of being a movement that “says no to everything.”
“Americans are learning that when you take sound conservative policies and put them into action they can actually work in the real world,” he said in his statement Thursday.
Jindal didn’t name specific candidates his PAC would support.
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