Julian Castro Launches 2020 Presidential Campaign
Courtesy of Creative Commons
Courtesy of Creative Commons
By Ian Sloan 01/12/2019
Julian Castro made it official today. The former mayor of San Antonio and youngest member of President Barack Obama’s cabinet wants to become the Democrats’ first Hispanic-American presidential nominee.
His twin brother Congressman Joaquin Castro and their mother introduced him at an outside rally in San Antonio. There Julian Castro set out a progressive political agenda making immigration reform the central theme.
He was clear about his position on recent hot-button issues like child separation at the southern border. At times Castro spoke in Spanish calling the nation’s immigration problem a crisis of leadership.
“There are serious issues that need to be addressed in our broken immigration system,” Castro said. “But seeking asylum is a legal right, and the cruel policies of this administration are doing real harm and damage.”
He drew on his experiences with the American dream saying, “It’s time for new energy. It’s time for a new commitment to make sure that the opportunities that I’ve had are available to every American.
Castro is the second high-profile Democrat to announce a presidential run. The first was Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren. Tonight Hawaiian Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard will declare her upcoming announcement on the previously taped Van Jones CNN program. California Senator Kamala Harris has said her announcement will be on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.