Immigrant's son goes to runoff in governor's race

NEW ORLEANS -- An Indian immigrant's son running as a conservative Republican finished first in an open primary for Louisiana governor Saturday, leaving three veteran Democratic politicians scrambling for the second spot in a runoff.

With 47 percent of the precincts reporting, Bobby Jindal had 35 percent, or 231,901 votes. It was a close contest for the second spot between Lt. Gov. Kathleen Blanco and Attorney General Richard Ieyoub both at 17 percent, and former Congressman Claude "Buddy" Leach with 14 percent.

Former state Senate President Randy Ewing was fifth with 9 percent. Blanco and Ieyoub had 116,757 and 114,821 votes, respectively.

If none of the 17 candidates on the ballot pull in more than 50 percent of the vote in the primary, the top two go to a Nov. 15 runoff.

Jindal, the Indian American who has confounded political prognosticators in a conservative Deep South state, rocketed to an early and decisive lead Saturday.

His top Democratic challengers were competing fiercely for Louisiana's black vote, 30 percent of the electorate. Each was thought to have a chance at the second runoff spot. Few of the parishes, or counties, with a heavy concentration of black votes had reported. Jindal was running strong even in areas of the state, like the Cajun parishes, where other candidates were favored.

Turnout was projected at 65 percent and lines were reported at many polling places on a sunny Saturday across the state. The unusual Saturday primary date is part of a long populist heritage in Louisiana and is designed to give as many people as possible an opportunity to vote.

Jindal's steady rise was the surprise of the campaign. On key issues -- economic development, education, health care -- most candidates promised little change in this slow-growth state where elections often turn on personalities.

Few gave Jindal much chance when he returned to Louisiana from an assistant secretary's job in President Bush's Department of Health and Human Services.

Despite an impressive resume -- Rhodes Scholar, high-level state and federal jobs at 32 -- Jindal's youth and ethnicity were expected to work against him.

But he appealed to Louisiana's conservatives in radio ads extolling the Ten Commandments and deriding liberals and gun control, while promising fiscal sobriety and few initiatives. Frequent mention of this Catholic convert's faith helped shore up support.

In addition, Jindal is the protege of the state's most prominent Republican, popular incumbent Gov. Mike Foster, who has served two terms and cannot succeed himself.

Like three of the four leading Democrats, Jindal has promised to put more energy into attracting industry. In addition, Jindal -- along with Ieyoub, Blanco, and Ewing -- promised to make Louisiana even more friendly to business by decreasing taxes.

The odd man out was Leach, whose Huey Long-style populist campaign was based on promises to tax big oil companies and raise the minimum wage.

Louisiana is one of three states with a regular governor's election this year, along with Mississippi and Kentucky.