1st congressional district. The incumbent, David Vitter, was running for the Senate seat being vacated by John Breaux. The Louisiana Republican Party endorsed him in the primary although Mike Rogers, also a Republican, was running for the same seat. The 1st District has been in Republican hands since a 1977 special election and is widely considered to be staunchly conservative. Jindal's campaign was able to raise over $1 million very early in the campaign, making it harder for other candidates to effectively raise funds to oppose him. He won the 2004 election with 78 percent of the vote. Jindal was only the second Indian-American to be elected to the United States Congress, after Dalip Singh Saund was elected in November 1955. 2006 Jindal won re-election to a second term with 88% of the vote. Congressional tenure He was the second Indian American elected to Congress. He has reportedly lived in Kenner, Metairie, and Baton Rouge. In 2005, Jindal criticized Bush's budget for not calling for enough spending cuts. He warned of the growth of Medicaid saying "Congress may act without them...there seems to be growing momentum that the status quo is not defensible." Jindal praised Bush's leadership on social security reform, saying "The administration has a lot more work to do to continue educating the American people about the very serious challenges facing Social Security." In response to Hurricane Katrina, Jindal stated "If we had been investing resources in restoring our coast, it wouldn't have prevented the storm, but the barrier islands would have absorbed some of the tidal surge." Committee assignments House Committee on Homeland Security House Committee on Resources House Committee on Education and the Workforce He was made vice-chairman of the House Subcommittee on the Prevention of Nuclear and Biological Attacks. Jindal served as president of the incoming freshman class of congressmen, in 2004. He was elected to the position of House assistant majority whip, a senior leadership role. He served in this capacity from 2004 to 2006. 2007 gubernatorial election On January 22, 2007, Jindal announced his candidacy for governor. Polling data showed him with an early lead in the race, and he remained the favorite throughout the campaign. He defeated eleven opponents in the nonpartisan blanket primary held on October 20, including two prominent Democrats, State Senator Walter Boasso of Chalmette and Louisiana Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell of Bossier City, and an independent, New