Bobby Jindal, right, delivers his victory speech at the Wyndham Hotel in Metairie, Louisiana on Nov. 2. Seen at left is his wife Supriya holding 6-month-old son Shaan Robert. (Photo: Mohammed Jaffer/Snaps India)

As predicted by virtually all pollsters, analysts and talking-heads, former Bush appointee Bobby Jindal, 33, officially made history on Nov. 2, winning a seat to the U.S. House of Representatives from Louisiana’s 1st District in a landslide victory. Now he is busy thanking his constituents and key supporters, calling Republican bigwigs, and making sure to smooth his way once in Washington.

The fast-talking Jindal, who last year narrowly lost the race for Louisiana governor 52-48 percent, bounced back to win a whopping 78.3 percent of the vote (217,719 votes) in this largely conservative district, avoiding a run-off on Dec. 4 by a wide margin.

Jindal left his opponents biting the dust in the Cajun state (his closest rival, Democrat Roy Armstrong, polled only a little over 19,000 votes) to come into the U.S. House of Representatives, thereby becoming only the second Indian American to do so. He makes it to the House nearly 50 years after Dalip Singh Saund made it there from California back in 1956.

“Together we did it! Thank you for the countless hours of dedication, the sacrifices you have made, and the honor you have given me in this election. Your support will never be forgotten and my family and I are truly grateful for your support,” Jindal said on his Web site after the historic win.

Addressing a cheering crowd of supporters and surrounded by his family –– his wife, her parents and his parents were present on the occasion –– at a hotel in Metairie, LA, Jindal said he was honored by the support he had received from the electorate of the state’s 1st Congressional District.

Jindal hardly mirrors the usual junior legislator on the Hill. Coming out of an exultant victory, he is tackling the nitty-gritty of going to Washington –– selecting the staff for the home base in Louisiana and his office on Capitol Hill, keeping his lines to powerful GOP legislators active to adequately fill the space that Senator John Vitter, a senior Republican Congressman vacated in the House to win the Senatorial seat.

“The point of all these activities, even before the election, was to try to get the most impact for the district once I get in office,” Jindal told the New Orleans Times Picayune. Among those who called him with congratulations, was House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Illinois).

But analysts in Louisiana have been worried on account of his junior status. As the Times Picayune put it: “Louisiana is losing decades of congressional clout and seniority in the U.S. House, replacing three members who retired or sought higher office with newcomers...

“Jindal, recognizing the hit the state will take, started developing relationships with members of Congress from around the nation before his race was complete — donating campaign dollars

to GOP candidates in particular — in the hopes of getting choice committee assignments and attention.”

As he told the newspaper after his victory was secured: “Avoiding a runoff allows us to get a jump on these committee assignments because many of those are decided before our December runoffs.”

Jindal is an old hand in Washington. Not for him some lowly internships or even White House Fellowships.

He started in the Capital near the very top, dealing with controversial national issues like Medicare and health policy; his skill was recognized by no less than the president of the country himself; and he returns to Washington in a powerful position not just because he won so handily in the Nov. 2 election, but because he had gathered such a huge campaign war-chest –– more than $2 million –– that, by the end of the race, he was contributing to other, tighter Republican races around the country.

According to Federal Election Commission data gathered by News India-Times, Jindal received exactly $2,130,315, of which $1,773,213 came in individual contributions. Jindal ended his campaign with cash in hand of $1,049,890 as of mid-October 2004, a comfortable position to be in going to Washington.

Now Indian Americans look to see what critical committee assignments the rookie legislator will get.

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