Jindal could be Louisiana Governor: Poll

US Congressman Piyush 'Bobby' Jindal, A Republican who represents Louisiana's First District, would easily defeat Blanco if a rematch of the race were held today, an independent poll has found. Jindal has launched yet another bid to capture the state's governorship from incumbent Democrat Kathleen Blanco, who beat him in 2003.

According to the poll conducted during the weekend by Southern Media and Opinion Research and reported by the New Orleans-based Times Picayune newspaper, Jindal leads Blanco by 59 per cent to 35 per cent, and in a three-way race with Democratic Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell, who is also in the fray, Jindal leads Blanco by 58 percent to 31 percent, with Campbell pulling in 6 per cent.

The survey also found that even though the race is still more than nine months away, most Louisianans had already made up their minds to vote for Jindal over Blanco.

The Times Picayune said that according to the poll, fewer than 7 per cent of the respondents were undecided or refused to say who they would vote for in a head-to-head match-up between Blanco and Jindal, which was in sharp contrast to the open-seat race four years ago to replace Governor Mike Foster, when almost 40 per cent of voters had remained uncommitted to a candidate just two months before the primary.

The primary date is October 20, with a run-off, if neither candidate polls more than 50 per cent of the vote, on November 17.

Bernie Pinsonat of Southern Media was quoted by The Times Picayune as saying that "everybody has already made up their mind," and Blanco's "...task, and it's tougher by the day, is to change minds."

He predicted that the latest numbers could increase the pressure on Blanco to bow out of the race in favor of other Democrats who are perceived to have a better shot at prevailing against Jindal.

Jindal also enjoys a major advantage over Blanco in that his campaign war chest is flush with funds, including over $1 million that he garnered during his re-election campaign last year, which he won with a 78 per cent majority. Nearly a third of his campaign contributions have come from Indian Americans across the country.