Although the most recent poll of Louisiana residents gives Gov. Bobby Jindal an approval rating of 51 percent, some University students are more critical of him.
Political science professor James Garand said 51 percent is a high approval rating in general, even compared to the 77 percent Jindal had just after he took state office.
Louisiana tends to side with conservatives, as evidenced in presidential elections in which the state generally supports the Republican candidate. This traditional Republican backing may have contributed to the approval ratings Jindal has seen over the past years.
Now Jindal’s approval ratings have dipped after he pulled funding for hospitals and cut the state education budget, according to Southern Media and Opinion Research.
Helen Frink, mass communication freshman, expressed concerns over Jindal’s activities regarding education.
“You hear about Jindal taking over LSU, and I don’t know how much of that’s true, but it is scary,” Frink said.
Frink said mass communication professor and Reilly Center Director Bob Mann’s Twitter account is her primary source for Jindal news and commentary. Frink called some of Mann’s tweets “scary.”
Mass communication freshman George Bevan said Jindal started out well but has made some errors over time, as evidenced in the education and health care budget cuts.
“We still have a pretty good governor,” Bevan said.
Accounting sophomore Ty Raleigh said she likes that Jindal is expanding Patrick F. Taylor Hall.
But Raleigh also said Jindal’s actions reflect who he is as a person, and she wouldn’t want him as a president.
Garand said Jindal is not the kind of politician who could make it to the White House.
“There are politicians who are openly engaged in public debates about issues, and Jindal seems to insulate himself from open engagements in these sorts of debates,” Garand said.
According to Garand, Jindal’s speaking style is not appropriate for seeking higher public office.
Garand said if Romney loses, however, he expects Jindal to immediately start planning his presidential campaign.
If not, “he might challenge Mary Landrieu for Senate. That would be a hell of a race,” Garand said.
Garand said Jindal sees Louisiana as a stepping stone.
“He’s driven by political ambition rather than creating good public policy,” Garand said.
Bevan agreed, saying he would not support Jindal in a presidential capacity even though he approves of Jindal for the most part.
“I just don’t get the sense that Jindal is a beloved figure,” Garand said.
Music education junior Josh Stearman disagreed.
“He’s handled disasters better than Blanco, and he’s doing really well with coastal restoration,” Stearman said.
Stearman said Jindal is one of the better governors the state has had.
