The petition was filed with the secretary of state's office by Ryan and Kourtney Fournier of Jefferson Parish. It allows them 180 days to try to collect enough signatures to get a recall election for the governor.

Four lawmakers, including House Speaker Jim Tucker, are also objects of recall petitions filed in recent days.

Forcing a recall election against Jindal will be tough. It would require verifiable signatures from more than 900,000 registered Louisiana voters.

Still, the publicity attending a recall effort illustrates an abrupt change in public attitude toward the young conservative Republican. Jindal, who easily defeated 11 opponents last fall, has been mentioned as a possible running mate for presidential candidate John McCain.

Jindal has repeatedly criticized the pay raise as excessive but says he won't veto it for fear of jeopardizing his legislative agenda. That led to criticism in newspaper editorials, blog sites and on conservative radio talk shows. Critics pointed to campaign literature in which he had said he would prohibit lawmakers from raising their own pay unless the raise was delayed until their next term. The raises lawmakers gave themselves would go into effect this year.

Today, in response to the recall petition, Jindal said he agrees with the voters who are angry that lawmakers raised their pay and feels the Legislature should reverse it. He said he's sure more voters will take "extraordinary steps to show their anger over the pay raise before this is all said and done; that's how a democracy works."

From The Associated Press