People on the left are "bullies who try to intimidate their opponents" on such important issues as gun control and religious liberty, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal says, but conservatives should not be pushed around on those or other issues.
"They can’t argue with us — at least they can’t argue with us on the merits of the matter or ideas or even what the Founding Fathers intended — so they just bully," the Republican presidential hopeful told
Breitbart News.
Jindal, who has not yet announced his candidacy, said that both issues are important ones. As far as the Second Amendment is concerned, "the Founding Fathers were smart enough to know that the American people need to have the right to bear arms for self-defense."
In addition, he said, the Constitution allows the use of guns for sport, and while that is not the primary reason for the amendment, it allows "a way to enjoy the outdoors. I love going duck hunting with my kids, especially my boys."
Even people who do not own guns themselves should "understand that this is an important liberty right," Jindal said. "If we let those on the left come after one of our liberty rights, they will come after them all."
He delivered a
similar message on Friday to the National Rifle Association's annual meeting in Nashville, telling the group that religious freedom fights are linked to those who are trying to restrict gun ownership, according to
The Wall Street Journal.
"If these large forces can conspire to crush the First Amendment, it won’t be long before they come after the Second Amendment," Jindal told firearms enthusiasts in prepared remarks delivered at the NRA meeting.
The governor told Breitbart that there is an "unholy alliance between the Hollywood elites, the liberal media, and in some cases, big business," and Republicans need to be sure "we are not the party of big business."
The 2016 presidential race, Jindal said, will be "an election between elitism and populism."
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Jindal said, is "clearly on the side of elitism," and Republicans "need a conservative candidate who understands that we need to stand on the side of the people and individual liberty rights."
That means Republicans will need to be sure "the American people know we differ from Hillary in that we trust the American people to live their lives without government oversight," he said.
And, Jindal added, "The government did not create our rights, rather, government is to secure God-given rights and the left forgets that ... the left is going to yell and increase volume when they can't beat on the substance on these things."
Jindal has been speaking recently on social issues, and appears to be charting a campaign that appeals to middle-class Americans and their values against corporations and the interests of the federal government, the Journal reported.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.