Julian Castro 1st Dem. to throw hat in 2020 race
552 views · Published 17 December 2018 · 2:51 · Indexed 30 September 2026
Channel: AP Archive · 2018 · News & Politics
(12 Dec 2018) Former Obama cabinet member Julian Castro got a head start on his 2020 rivals Wednesday, becoming the first Democrat in a primary field with no clear front-runner to launch an exploratory committee ahead of a likely White House run. Castro, who was the nation’s housing secretary until 2016 and spent five years as San Antonio mayor, said he will announce a decision January 12 but signaled in an interview with The Associated Press that his mind was all but made up. Exploratory committees are typically formalities before a presidential campaign launch, and legally allow potential candidates to begin raising money. But just as importantly for the 44-year-old Castro, the move gives him an early jump on bigger-name Democrats flirting with 2020 who are taking a slower approach but are already seen as early front-runners if they enter. No potential candidate is more ascendant than outgoing congressman Beto O’Rourke, also from Texas, who donors and activists are prodding to run after giving Republican Sen. Ted Cruz a surprisingly close race in November. Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Cory Booker of New Jersey and former Vice President Joe Biden are also potential candidates. Castro, who is poised to be the youngest candidate in the field and most prominent Latino, brushed aside his potential rivals generating more attention, pointing to past cycles where early favorites ultimately faltered. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/ You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/7670aef7c530ecf6d280f91398ecce57
