Bobby Jindal was elected as the new Louisiana governor. He is the first Indian American to be elected as the governor of a state.
NEW YORK: Indian-American Bobby Jindal, a conservative Republican, achieved a major success in breaking the racial barriers when he soundly and decisively defeated 11 candidates to become the youngest Governor of once racially segregated US State of Louisiana.
When he takes over in January next, he would become the first non-White Governor in the country since a Reconstruction era figure held the job briefly 130 years ago.
36-year-old Oxford-educated Jindal also becomes the first person of Indian-origin to hold the Governor's post, showing the growing clout of the Indian American community in the political and economic fields.
Jindal polled more than 50 per cent of votes in the election on Saturday, thus avoiding a run off which was set for November 17 if no candidate had got half the votes polled. He had earlier defeated three main rivals in the primary.
Jindal, who had lost the Governor's race four years ago to Kathleen Blanco, this time defeated a slate of 11 opponents including two Democrats, State Senator Walter Boasso, Louisiana Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell and an independent businessman John Georges in a closely watched election.
Jindal, son of Indian immigrants, got 53 per cent votes with 625,036 ballots cast in his favour - more than enough to avoid the November 17 runoff.
"Let's give our homeland, the great state of Louisiana, a fresh start," Jindal said after his victory.
His nearest competitors were Boasso, who won 18 per cent with 208,690 votes; Georges, who got 14 per cent with 1167,477 votes; and Campbell, who had 13 per cent with 141,346 votes. Eight candidates divided the rest.
Jindal, who had lost the Governor's race four years ago to Kathleen Blanco, this time defeated a slate of 11 opponents including two Democrats, State Senator Walter Boasso, Louisiana Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell and an independent businessman John Georges in a closely watched election.
Jindal got 53 per cent votes with 625,036 ballots cast in his favour - more than enough to avoid the November 17 runoff.
Boasso won 18 per cent with 208,690 votes; Georges got 14 per cent with 1167,477 votes; and Campbell had 13 per cent with 141,346 votes. Eight candidates divided the rest.
"Let's give our homeland, the great state of Louisiana, a fresh start," Jindal said after his victory.
Until he takes over as Governor in January next year, he would continue to be Congressman from highly conservative First Congressional Districts in suburban New Orleans.
Blanco decided against contesting the post following sharp criticism over the handling of aftermath of hurricane Katrina.
Jindal pledged to fight corruption and rid the state of those "feeding at the public trough."
"They can either go quietly or they can go loudly, but either way, they will go," he said and added he would call the Legislature into special session to address ethics reform.
After the result was made known, Georges said: "I'm asking all of our supporters to get behind our new Governor."
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