White House Watch: A GOP star surfaces in Louisiana
One of the few officials to emerge from Hurricane Katrina with his reputation enhanced has been U.S. Rep. Bobby Jindal, a freshman Republican who represents parts of New Orleans and its suburbs. Jindal was a reassuring presence for his constituents in the immediate aftermath of Katrina, appearing often on television and radio and in other media to provide information on where to find relief and to urge the deployment of more resources to the region.
His congressional office focused on constituent service by helping evacuees and linking them up with state, federal, and private groups offering assistance. Jindal is a Louisiana native elected to Congress in 2004 after an unsuccessful run for governor of Louisiana in 2003.
"He's the Republican Party's Barack Obama," says an admiring Republican strategist, comparing Jindal to the freshman Democratic senator from Illinois, considered a rising political star.
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