Jindal to meet with Iowa religious leaders

Gov. Bobby Jindal (R-La.) is heading back to Iowa this week to meet with conservative religious leaders in the state.

Jindal, whose term-limited tenure as governor is up in 2016, is considering a run for president.

{mosads}Meeting with conservative and religious groups in Iowa is an important rite of passage for potential presidential contenders seeking to gauge their level of support and build key allies in the early-voting state. Jindal’s Tuesday meeting with pastors and other church leaders in the state is sponsored by the conservative American Renewal Project.

Jindal made several trips to Iowa in 2014, most recently in December for a Republican fundraiser.

A Jindal aide told The Hill he’d have to miss the Iowa Freedom Summit later this month because it conflicts with a prayer event in Louisiana on the same day.

The Iowa Freedom Summit will feature a host of other potential GOP presidential contenders, including Gov. Chris Christie (N.J.), Sen. Ted Cruz (Texas), Gov. Rick Perry (Texas), former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, and Dr. Ben Carson.


Jindal is presently at the back of a crowded field of Republican contenders.

A CNN-ORC poll from late December showed him taking only four percent support among Republicans, and trailing former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, Christie, Carson, Huckabee, Sen. Rand Paul (Ky.), Sen. Marco Rubio (Fla.), Rep. Paul Ryan (Wis.), and Cruz.