Jindal, 36, will become the nation's first Indian-American governor when he takes office in January. The American-born son of Indian immigrants, he was making his second attempt to become Louisiana's first nonwhite governor since Reconstruction.
Jindal defeated 11 rivals with 54 percent of the vote in Saturday's election, drawing enough votes to avoid a runoff election next month. His nearest competitor in a field of 12 candidates was state Senator Walter J. Boasso, a Democrat, who had 18 percent.
"I think we're setting the bar too low when we say, 'Look, isn't it great that we haven't had a statewide elected official go to jail recently?' " Jindal said in an interview.
"The reality is there are a lot of practices that are accepted ways of doing business in Baton Rouge that are considered unethical in other parts of the country, that are considered illegal in other parts of the country," he said.
His two predecessors, Democrat Kathleen Blanco and Republican Mike Foster, governed with no allegations of cronyism, but the state has long had a reputation for shady politics.
Four-term Governor Edwin Edwards, a Democrat, is serving prison time in a bribery and extortion case that involved the awarding of riverboat casino licenses. In the past decade, Louisiana has had an insurance commissioner and elections commissioner serve time in prison, and a litany of corruption cases are pending in New Orleans.
Jindal wants legislators to create new state laws requiring them to disclose their sources of income and their assets - a bill that failed to pass in the most recent legislative session - and to bar their family members from doing business with the state.
And while he acknowledges that some of the concerns are more about perception than reality, he said they can still harm the state's ability to attract businesses and its requests for aid to recover from hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Blanco, who defeated Jindal in 2003, decided months ago that she would not run for reelection. Her decision followed criticism of her performance after Katrina.
The governor-elect said he is not worried that in a state known for its brash and flashy politicians, he is seen as methodical.
