Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, stepping closer to a 2016 Republican presidential bid, is turning his attention to Christians, especially evangelicals, to fuel his effort in Iowa, host to the first presidential caucus in 2016.
Jindal, born a Hindu but who converted to Christianity, will attend two closed-door meetings with Iowa pastors Jan. 6, one in Des Moines and one in Cedar Rapids.
He was invited by the American Renewal Project and founder David Lane who has established a broad and influential network of Christian pastors in key states, especially Iowa, where evangelicals hold great sway in the caucus.
Lane told Secrets that while his group does not pick favorites or back candidates, he wants to help those who agree with his Christian agenda and effort to get more Christians to vote, and even run for office.
In returning to Iowa to woo the pastors, Jindal is reaching for voters who helped former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee win the 2008 caucus. Huckabee, also friendly with Lane and a frequent speaker at the “Pastors and Pews” events he hosts, is also expected to run in 2016.
Jindal will also attend closed door meetings with South Carolina pastors. Lane says that Huckabee, Paul, Cruz, Perry, Bush and Christie will be invited to closed door meetings. Lane’s goal is to represent evangelical pastors to the candidates, not the candidates to the pastors.
Some consider Jindal the dark horse in the race if the establishment candidate flounders and cannot get traction. Jindal led the Republican Governor’s Association in 2013 and so is connected with the power circles and Republican Party funders. If the race eventually comes down to Jindal and Huckabee, many believe that the establishment would back Jindal, as they did in 2008 when they helped Arizona Sen. John McCain to beat Huckabee. McCain lost the general election to then-Sen. Barack Obama.
Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner’s “Washington Secrets” columnist, can be contacted at [email protected].
