Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, who is announcing his 2016 plans later Wednesday, said the upcoming presidential race is “wide open” and that the Republican nomination is going to be “earned” and will not be a “coronation” or an “auction.”
“[We’ve] got a lot of talkers in this race — we need a doer,” the 44-year old said Wednesday morning on Fox News.
Mr. Jindal said he actually has a plan to replace Obamacare, that he’s reduced the size of government in his home state, and that he’s also offered detailed plans on rebuilding the nation’s defenses, reforming education, and attaining energy independence.
Mr. Jindal, who is Indian-American, is running near the back of the GOP pack in early polling on the race for the Republican nomination, but could make a play for conservative evangelical voters that comprise much of the GOP electorate in early states like Iowa.
He said the race is “wide open.”
“I think on the Republican side, it’s going to be earned — it’s not a coronation; it’s not an auction,” he said.
Mr. Jindal said if he listened to polls, he never would have, for example, run for governor, reduced the size of government, or done statewide school choice.
“If we get in this race, we’ll get in this race to win it — it’s about changing the direction” of the country, he said.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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