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Louisiana elects first non-white governor
'A FRESH START':
When he takes office in January, Bobby Jindal will be the country's youngest governor in office. He says one of his first tasks will be to fight corruption
AP, BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA
Monday, Oct 22, 2007, Page 7
US Representative Bobby Jindal, the Oxford-educated son of Indian immigrants, won the Louisiana governor's race, becoming the country's youngest governor and the first non-white to hold the state's post since the 1870s.
Jindal, a Republican, carried more than half the vote on Saturday against 11 opponents. With about 92 percent of the vote in, Jindal had 53 percent with 625,036 votes -- more than enough to win outright and avoid a Nov. 17 runoff.
"Let's give our homeland, the great state of Louisiana, a fresh start," Jindal said to cheers and applause from a crowd that began chanting his name at his victory party.
His nearest competitors were Democrat Walter Boasso, with 208,690 votes, independent John Georges, with 167,477 votes and Democrat Foster Campbell, with 151,101. Eight candidates divided the rest.
"I'm asking all of our supporters to get behind our new governor," Georges said in a concession speech.
Jindal had lost the governor's race four years ago to Governor Kathleen Blanco.
He won the a congressional seat in conservative suburban New Orleans a year later but was widely believed to have his eye on the governor's mansion.
Blanco opted not to run for re-election after she was widely blamed for the state's slow response to hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005.
"My administration has begun readying for this change and we look forward to helping with a smooth transition," she said in a prepared statement.
"I want to thank the people of Louisiana for the past four years, though there is still much work to do in my last few months as your governor," the statement said.
When he takes office in January, Jindal will become the country's youngest state governor in office. He pledged to fight corruption and rid the state of those "feeding at the public trough," revisiting a campaign theme.
Some black political leaders complained on Saturday of problems at polls in New Orleans, where many people have moved around since Hurricane Katrina.
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