BATON ROUGE, La. -- Gov. Bobby Jindal traveled Friday to Iowa, a state that is pivotal to a presidential campaign, in a trip that has heightened speculation that Jindal is planning a presidential bid in 2012.

Tim Mueller / Associated Press

But Jindal said the speculation is misplaced. He said he's running for re-election and has no plans to seek the White House.

"The most important thing for me is to be the best governor for the state of Louisiana," the governor said in an interview. "If the people of Louisiana will allow me, I'm going to serve for two terms.

"I'm not running for president."

But political watchers say it's a bit too much of a coincidence that Jindal is traveling to the state that is the launching pad for many a presidential contender, particularly as the Republican Party looks for new leaders after losing the White House and another set of congressional seats earlier this month.

Since the dismal Republican election results, the 37-year-old Jindal's name has been mentioned in nearly every major newspaper and on national news networks as a rising star who could be a GOP contender in future presidential elections. "Jindal is preparing the way for an eventual run for president. No one knows whether it's in 2012 or 2016. He doesn't either. Events will dictate that. But no one in politics is naive enough to think that you can attend political events in the first caucus state without it being interpreted as a pre-presidential foray," said Larry Sabato, a political scientist at the University of Virginia.

On Saturday, Jindal will keynote a fundraising dinner for the Iowa Family Policy Center's "Celebrating the Family" banquet, a high-profile Christian conservative event. The governor also will make a stop in Cedar Rapids to see some of the recent flooding damage and to attend a fundraiser for a flood recovery organization.

Jindal called the trip an opportunity to talk about reform efforts in Louisiana and "to be an ambassador for the state."

The announcement of the trip prompted a slew of political blogs around the country talking about Jindal's political future -- and expected national candidacy.

Party leaders mention several Republican governors, including Jindal, as possible presidential candidates in the next four to eight years. The list often includes Govs. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota, Charlie Crist of Florida, Mark Sanford of South Carolina and Sarah Palin of Alaska, who was John McCain's vice presidential running mate this year.

Pearson Cross, a political scientist at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, said he doesn't believe Jindal's repeated claims that he's not interested in a presidential run, but he understands why the governor would profess a lack of interest right now.

"Bobby Jindal needs to have people in Louisiana feel like he's focusing on Louisiana's problems," Cross said. "To the extent that people in Louisiana feel like he's focusing on getting elected to some other office, it's like a jilted lover. We're going to feel neglected, and it's going to show up in his approval ratings, and his approval ratings are directly related to his ability to get things done."

While Palin has clearly signaled she's open to run for president in four years, Jindal called it a mistake for anyone to begin jockeying for the post so soon after the last presidential election season ended.

"I think the American people are tired of campaigns. They've had enough. We haven't even sworn in our next president," Jindal said.

Cross agreed it was too early -- and too presumptuous -- for a politician considering a 2012 presidential bid to announce it before President-elect Barack Obama even takes office. He said Jindal's intentions will become clear enough if he makes repeat trips to Iowa or New Hampshire or other early primary and caucus states.

"This being coy about running for higher office is something that most politicians do at one time or another," he said.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)