Julián Castro drops out of presidential race

Post Reply New Topic

Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro dropped out of the presidential race Thursday after his campaign, focused on issues of immigration and education, failed to gain traction.

Castro was the only Latino candidate running in the Democratic primary, but the former top Obama administration official never saw his poll numbers take off in the crowded field and was edged off the debate stage in recent months after failing to meet the Democratic National Committee's increasingly tough fundraising and polling thresholds needed to qualify.

Castro, who also spent five years as mayor of San Antonio, shaped his campaign around a policy agenda that was to the left of many of his Democratic counterparts.

"I've determined that it simply isn't our time," Castro said in a video message announcing his departure from the race. "Today it's with a heavy heart, and profound gratitude, that I will suspend my campaign for president."

"I’m not done fighting," Castro continued. "I’ll keep working towards a nation where everyone counts, a nation where everyone can get a good job, good health care and a decent place to live."

After failing to qualify for the November debate stage, Castro scaled back his New Hampshire staff and his campaign attempted to refocus on the other early primary states of Iowa and Nevada — though he made headlines for criticizing his party's nominating process with the suggestion that more diverse states should be allowed to vote first. Castro also failed to meet the thresholds for December's match-up in Los Angeles, which saw the smallest number of candidates on stage yet.

Castro first gained national attention in 2012 as the first Hispanic to deliver the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina. In 2016, he was reportedly on Hillary Clinton’s shortlist as a potential running mate