Bobby Jindal could be elected Governor again IF he commits to these things--

Readers of IB Freeman's posts over the year know I soured on Jindal quickly after supporting him with cash and time. Today I read of KBB's sickness and this caused me to reflect on KBB's and Jindal's time in office. I believe Jindal could be re-elected and might possibly the more mature Jindal would be a very good Governor.

KBB came to office because she was running against the "non-white" Jindal. I don't think there is any question a traditional white republican would have beat her in 2003. She subsequently elected not to run again after her poor performance during Katrina. Jindal was elected in a landslide--his closest opponent had only 17% of the vote.

Jindal took office with more political capital than any other Governor since EWE in the seventies. He could have made much more dramatic changes than he did had he parked his national political ambition. He ended up alienating so many of his supporters and fought with Vitter inside the party. His failure to build a big sphere of influence inside the state is the reason the flawed Vitter was the leading republican candidate in 15 and JBE became governor.

One would think the lessons of his second term failures would be valuable if he decided to run again.

I actually think he can be re-elected BUT only if has truly changed and matured. He needs to:

1) assure voters he has no ambition beyond Governor of Louisiana. He can do this by promising not to leave the state except on true state business if he is elected.

2) he needs to offer clear, precise changes that separates himself from his past policies---IB ideas--spin off higher ed into private entities and give vouchers for higher ed, send all teacher salary responsibility back to the parishes and give the parishes the state revenue sources like one of the sales taxes to do it, build toll roads to alleviate the I10/I12 traffic, remove Huey Long's remains from the state capital grounds, end film subsidies and the other subsidies he championed earlier, make taxes fairer by championing property and income tax reform--on and on REAL changes. No more Jindal white papers that just identify problems

3) remind voters he never raised taxes--he had no scandals.

4) humbly go to the voters. Jindal worked hard--very hard--to win. He needs to do that again.

If he is not for real change, not for Louisiana taxpaying citizens then he shouldn't run.

If he has not parked his ambition for national office he shouldn't run.

No question Kennedy is going to run. He comes off as sort of phony to me. Scalise would be a slam dunk to win should he run but I doubt he would give up his power in DC. Strain might could win but he is not a real change guy. Landry is not very impressive to me.

A reformed Jindal looks better to me every day. Should such a man exist I think I could could support him.

Let it be known that IB Freeman was the first at TD to suggest, albeit with caveats, that Bobby Jindal should consider running for Governor again.