Bobby Jindal (Michael Conroy/AP)Americans for Tax Reform President Grover Norquist is encouraging Mitt Romney to choose Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal as his running mate.
In an op-ed published in Politico and co-authored by Patrick Gleason, ATR's director of state affairs, Norquist outlined the case for Jindal, pointing to his overhaul of the state education system, a commitment he made never to raise taxes, and his work with energy companies, particularly oil and gas, which have a strong presence on the Gulf Coast.
"Romney would do well to have a wing man who can astutely explain the flaws in President Barack Obama's policies and lay out the GOP's innovative, pro-growth alternatives. There are many attractive prospects out there, but Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal can do not just all that, he has already implemented the sort of bold reforms at the state level that are now desperately needed at the federal level," Norquist and Gleason wrote.
The nod from Norquist, a former aide to President Ronald Reagan known for convincing almost every Republican lawmaker (and even some Democrats in conservative districts) to sign a document pledging they will not raise taxes, is a boost for Jindal, who on Sunday received a veep endorsement from social conservative leader Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council.
Jindal has gone head-to-head with Obama in the past, delivering the official Republican response to the president's first address to Congress in 2009. That response was widely ridiculed.
Jindal endorsed Texas Gov. Rick Perry for president instead of Romney during the Republican primaries.
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