Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal announced Monday he is launching an exploratory committee to help him decide whether to run for president in 2016 — the clearest signal yet Mr. Jindal is moving toward a White House run on the Republican side.
“If I run, my candidacy will be based on the idea that the American people are ready to try a dramatically different direction,” Mr. Jindal said. “Not a course correction, but a dramatically different path.”
Mr. Jindal said President Obama has started to redefine the American dream and “turn it into the European nightmare.”
“Because of this, I believe our country is in serious trouble and that the hour is late for America,” Mr. Jindal said. “Economic collapse is much closer to the door than people realize, our culture is decaying at a rapid rate, and our standing in a dangerous world is at an all-time low.”
Mr. Jindal said that problems caused by seven years of weak leadership and mistakes in the Obama administration can be corrected, but he called for a president “who is willing to make hard decisions and who has the ideas to change our country’s future.”
“While other Republican leaders are talking about change, I’ve published detailed plans to repeal and replace Obamacare, rebuild America’s defenses, make America energy independent, and reform education for our nation’s children,” Mr. Jindal said.
Mr. Jindal is currently running near the back of the 2016 GOP pack in public polling on the Republican presidential nominating contest, but could attract support from conservative evangelicals who comprise a significant portion of the GOP primary electorate, particularly in the early caucus state of Iowa.
Mr. Jindal said he’ll make a final decision on a presidential run in June after Louisiana’s current legislative session ends.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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