Nov 3, 2003 / 22:00 pm
Louisiana is poised to elect its first Catholic governor in more than 100 years. The two frontrunners in the upcoming state election Nov. 15 are both Catholics running for office in a state with deep anti-Catholic roots.
Republican Bobby Jindal, who would become the first Indian-American governor, and Democrat Lt. Gov. Kathleen Blanco, who would become the first female governor, have both spoken of their faith publicly. They claim to be pro-life and to favor the ban of partial-birth abortions recently approved by Congress.
However, the two candidates differ in their pro-life stance. While Blanco thinks abortions should be legal in cases of rape, incest and to save the life of the mother, Jindal does not favor abortions under any circumstances. Jindal also supports the public display of the Ten Commandments, the teaching of creationism in schools and government aid to faith-based initiatives.
According to the Times-Picayune, Jindal’s standard speech includes at least a passing mention of his faith often speaking about his teenage conversion.