Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal’s campaign stops, including stumping for Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, cost taxpayers in his state more than $18,000, the Associated Press reported Monday.
The expense came from Louisiana State Police providing security for Jindal during his trips. According to the AP’s analysis, Jindal has visited 37 states on nearly 170 trips since 2008.
Jindal’s spokesman, Sean Lansing, told the Associated Press in a statement: “The state does not pay for the governor’s unofficial travel out of state. As far as State Police, they have a legal duty to provide protection. As far as how, when, and where they do that — that’s up to them.”
Jindal is often mentioned as a potential 2016 Republican presidential contender. A recent poll by Democratic-leaning Public Policy Polling found that only 37 percent of Louisiana voters approve of the governor’s job performance.
