Romney sees White House run for Jindal

• By MICHELLE MILLHOLLON
• Advocate Capitol News Bureau
• Published: Oct 24, 2008 - Page: 1A - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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Former presidential candidate Mitt Romney predicted Thursday that Gov. Bobby Jindal will consider a 2012 run for the White House if John McCain loses on Nov. 4.

“Bobby Jindal will certainly be taking a look at it,” Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, said on WWL-Radio.

Jindal denied Thursday afternoon that he is mounting a presidential campaign despite multiple fundraising trips outside the state and an upcoming visit to Iowa.

“I am not running for the White House in 2012,” Jindal said.

He said he plans to run for re-election for governor in 2011. It is not his “intent” to run for the White House in 2016, he said.

Jindal said his goal is to serve two terms as governor and then leave public office to focus on his family.

“I don’t have any intent of running for any other office. I’d like to ideally go back to the private sector,” Jindal said.

Before landing a job with former Gov. Mike Foster, Jindal briefly worked for McKinsey and Co., a consulting firm based in Washington, D.C.

Jindal said he wants his three young children to grow up in Louisiana.

“What’s important in life is to use your talents to help improve your community,” he said.

Jindal fueled speculation about his future plans by accepting an invitation to speak in Iowa.

The governor is scheduled to speak on Nov. 22 in West Des Moines at a banquet sponsored by the Iowa Family Policy Center.

The policy center is the same organization credited with helping former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee win the Iowa caucuses in what was ultimately a failed bid for the 2008 Republican nomination for president.