With presumptive GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney expected to announce his pick for a running mate sometime in the next week or two, speculation about who will get the nod is hitting fever pitch. Gov. Bobby Jindal has been considered to be among those on Romney’s short list for months now. In recent weeks, Jindal has been traveling outside of Louisiana—on the campaign trail alongside and on behalf of Romney—about as much as he’s been in the state. Political observers are predicting that by spending an inordinate amount of his time campaigning for Romney, Jindal is setting himself up for national office, although it might not be this year. “Win or lose, he’s going to come out of this looking good,” says Pearson Cross, head of the Political Science Department at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Meanwhile, The Los Angeles Times on Sunday featured Jindal in its series of profiles of potential VP picks. “Jindal could serve Romney in the same manner that [Sarah] Palin boosted [John] McCain in 2008. He is likely to appeal to the social conservative base of the GOP more than the candidate topping the ticket,” reads the profile. “His placement on the ticket could also serve as a one-man rejoinder to the image of the GOP as a province of the rich, white and privileged. Jindal is none of those things.” Read the full profile here.
Today’s poll question: Do you believe Gov. Bobby Jindal has the job he wants, as he has repeatedly said when asked about his political ambitions?
