Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal is backing Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s bid for the presidency.
CNN reports that Jindal will be Perry’s guest at Monday night’s “Tea Party Republican Debate” on CNN, and is expected to formally announce his support before the debate begins.
Jindal was considered to be a contender for the vice presidential slot during John McCain’s presidential run in 2008. In November Jindal let the door open for a possible 2012 vice presidential bid.
“I’m not gonna turn down something that’s not been offered for me.” Jindal told David Gregory on Meet the Press. He added, however, that his only real aspiration is to be re-elected governor of Louisiana.
UPDATE:
Jindal issued an official statement of support for Perry Monday evening.
“Rick Perry is the candidate who can lead our party to victory in 2012,” said Jindal. “His record on job creation simply cannot be beat, and the one million jobs he’s helped create as governor is a stark contrast to the 2.4 million jobs lost on President Obama’s watch. President Obama promised hope, but he simply hasn’t delivered. Rick Perry will bring our country more than hope – he’ll get America working again.”
Perry welcomed Jindal’s endorsement in a statement of his own.
“I truly appreciate Gov. Jindal’s endorsement because he is a leader who knows what it takes to rebuild an economy and restore people’s confidence,” said Perry. “His efforts to cut taxes and reduce unreasonable regulations are helping the Louisiana economy grow, and that is exactly what I aim to do for America. I look forward to continuing to work with him throughout this campaign, and with his help, we’ll get America working again.”