Jindal Declines

In the past I have spoken at length about Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal. He is an incredibly bright rising star within the party and is highly regarded as a future contender in the GOP primary.

Jindal, 37 years old, was the first Indian-American elected to a statewide office.

After being born "Piyush" and a practicing Hindu, the Governor changed his name to Bobby as a child and later converted to Catholicism.

He is a highly educated man; receiving his undergraduate at Brown University and master's at Oxford.

He shares Reaganesque principals both socially and fiscally. This man is a conservative's conservative.

At a rally in Virginia today with Bob McDonnell, the GOP nominee for governor in 2009, Jindal was asked if he would run for the presidency in 2012.

His response was sharp:

"No"

He went on to state he will run for reelection in Louisiana in 2011.

Jindal is a young man at 37. While he may change his mind in the coming years, there is no question he would serve as a formidable opponent for the left if given the vice presidential nod.

But there may be some different logic at work here for Jindal...

Seeing as our president-elect has already made statements claiming victory in 2012, Jindal may be looking further into the future.

In 2016, he will have built up a thick résumé culminating as Governor of Louisiana.

He will be 45 years old, a ripe age in presidential politics.