Bobby Jindal announced he would run for president in 2016 at an announcement in New Orleans on Wednesday.
Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal (44) announced on Wednesday that he will be running for president in 2016, making him the 13th Republican candidate to announce a presidential bid.
"I am tanned, rested, and ready for this fight," Jindal said during his announcement in New Orleans. He added that he will not compromise his conservative moral principles.
Jindal, who was raised by Hindu parents, but later converted to Roman Catholicism, is known for his conservative stance on social issues.
He released an executive order in Lousiana last month to preserve religious protections for business people against same-sex marriages, and recently attended the Faith and Freedom Coalition's Road to Majority Conference in Washington, D.C. He is also opposed to abortion and teaching evolution in public schools.
Other than his conservative positions, Jindal is known for his successful career, especially relative to his age. He was appointed as secretary of Louisiana's Department of Health and Hospitals at age 24, and became president of the University of Louisiana system at age 28. Jindal then became a deputy secretary in the George W. Bush administration at age 30. Thereafter, he was elected to Congress at age 33, and became the youngest governor of America's history at age 36.
However, polls show that he currently lacks support from the Republican party. A Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll found that only one Republican primary voter out of 236 said that he or she would vote for Jindal, and a Reuters/Ipsos poll found less than 1 percent supporting Jindal.
Jindal's campaign strategists said several aspects of Jindal make him a unique candidate however, including the fact that he is the youngest candidate, and that he has one of the most radiant resumes of the current candidates.
