Jindal on Thursday lumped Clinton together with Obama’s economic policies, panning the president for “making the moral case for government dependence, for socialism” during an interview on The Hugh Hewitt Show on Thursday.

"Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton and the other Democrats in D.C., they’re for socialism," Jindal said.

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“Give Bernie the props for at least being honest. At least he’s saying what Hillary will not say, but they’re both socialists. The only difference is Bernie’s being honest about it.”

Sanders is a self-identified Democratic socialist, an ideology that believes in increased social welfare programs coupled with political democracy.

Jindal evoked Sanders’ increasing popularity to argue that the Democratic Party is becoming even more “radical.” A new Quinnipiac poll of Iowa voters shows Clinton leading Sanders 52 percent to 33 percent. That gap has shrunk in half since Quinnipiac’s last Iowa poll in May.

“Did you honestly believe we would live to see the day when a guy, an honest-to-goodness socialist, is running for president and doing well?” he asked.

“10,000 people in Wisconsin to come and hear him speak, [and he] is gaining on Hillary in the polls?”

His campaign added that Jindal will continue to hammer that message home during a swing through Iowa. He’s currently polling at 2 percent in the Hawkeye State and about 1 percent nationally, although Jindal only recently announced his campaign.