1st Indian-American governor in U.S. vows 'fresh start' for La

BATON ROUGE | In a campaign that had the air of both inevitable and the historical, Bobby Jindal was elected governor Saturday, claiming the electoral prize that eluded him four years ago.

By winning more than 50 percent of the primary vote against a field of 12 candidates, Jindal became the first candidate to win an open gubernatorial seat since Louisiana adopted its nonpartisan primary system in 1975.

Jindal also is the first member of an ethnic minority to become the state's chief executive since Reconstruction.

The 36-year-old Jindal becomes the nation's youngest governor and the first chief executive of any state who is of Indian-American descent.