Castro Launches 2020 Bid With Nod To Partys Future

The Texan will be one of the youngest candidates in the Democratic presidential field and likely its only Latino. By NOLAN D. MCCASKILL 01/12/2019 08:09 AM EST SAN ANTONIO Texas When 44-year-old Julin Castro officially launches his presidential campaign Saturday hell be one of the youngest candidates in the prospective 2020 Democratic field. And hell be first and likely only Latino candidate. That could give Castro an edge in a key early presidential state Nevada has the highest percentage of Hispanic voters of the four early voting states. And its likewise an asset in California which stands to cast a long shadow over the Democratic presidential primary now that its primary has been moved forward to early March. Together the former San Antonio mayor and former Secretary of Housing and Urban Developments youth and background offer a profile built to appeal to the Democratic Partys diverse and ascendant Obama coalition. Castro a long shot who lacks widespread name recognition or an extensive campaign infrastructure will need every advantage he can get. That helps explain why he chose to hold his formal presidential announcement event before anyone else this year declaring his White House bid at Plaza Guadalupe here on the west side of San Antonio not far from where he grew up as the son of a single mother and twin brother to Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas). Its the second part of his campaign launch Castro kicked off his bid in early December announcing his intentions via Twitter with a biographical video and the formation of an exploratory committee. Youll always have front-runners. The bigger challenge might be a giant field" said Jeff Link an Iowa Democratic strategist. Candidates who dont start out with name identification or a giant campaign account they have to figure out a way to distinguish themselves among all the lesser-known candidates." Its never been a problem for him in the past. Castro in 2001 became the youngest person ever elected to the San Antonio City Council; later he became the youngest person in the Obama administration Cabinet at the age of 39. In between he mounted an unsuccessful bid for San Antonio mayor in 2005 before winning the post in 2009. His biggest asset is hes a policy wonk. I mean this guy is really really smart" said Gilberto Hinojosa the Texas Democratic Party chairman. He knows a lot about a lot of issues. He is extremely articulate. Hes got really good ideas and hes able to put those ideas in terms where ordinary Americans can understand them and I think what that does is puts him in the situation where he is best not only talking to large crowds but talking to smaller crowds where he can answer questions and articulate and share his ideas on his vision for America." Castros long been considered one of the partys rising stars leading to his delivery of a keynote address at the 2012 Democratic National Convention in Charlotte. He also made the short list of candidates to be Hillary Clintons running mate in 2016. At that time I think there was a widespread feeling that this guys got something special" recalled Brian Fallon who served as Clintons national press secretary in 2016. There was a natural feeling within the party that this guy was capable of big things but in a state like Texas it might be hard to climb the ladder in the way that politicians in other states might be able to. Once you reach heights that lofty that early theres only so many more places to go." Yet in a crowded Democratic field that could feature some of the partys leading lights and best-known candidates among them Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) Cory Booker (D-N.J.) Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) as well as 2016 candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and former Vice President Joe Biden Castro registers as an asterisk in the early polls if at all. Thats led to speculation that the ambitious Castro is playing the long game with an eye toward ending up as the running mate for the eventual nominee. I think hes serious about running for the top job but if he didnt end up emerging as the nominee I think hes bound to be on anybodys short list again and probably will be" Fallon said. Hes bound to be in the mix for things for a long time. I just think hes gonna be somebody thats gonna be a big personality in the Democratic Party for a long time regardless one way or the other." Castro who released his memoir An Unlikely Journey: Waking Up from My American Dream" in October has already been working the early states with recent trips to Iowa New Hampshire and Nevada. His campaign intends to connect him with voters there in small gatherings situations hes comfortable in and where he excels. In an interview Sunday on ABCs This Week" with George Stephanopoulos Castro called for investments in education universal pre-K universal higher education and Medicare for All. He also expressed support for Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortezs (D-N.Y.) tax increase on the wealthy saying he supports people at the top paying their fair share. I have experience actually running one of these federal agencies being in charge of folks and making things work also being mayor of a city that is one of the most diverse cities as I said in the United States and then really in a fundamental way represents the diverse future of America Castro said when asked what distinguishes him from the other potential candidates in what figures to be a sprawling field. That connection to the Obama administration and nod to the partys diversity is shaping up to be front and center in his message. Its also key to his political fortunes since his success will likely hinge on his ability to connect with the younger voters and Hispanics who are a critical component of the coalition. Castro whose twin brother Joaqun Castro chairs the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and is expected to be closely involved in his campaign has already been quietly laying the groundwork. Earlier this week Castro met with Latino leaders in Las Vegas. And he also recently assembled a group of Latino leaders in Washington to talk about his 2020 campaign according to a person with knowledge of the meeting.