President Obama’s former Housing and Urban Development Secretary, Julian Castro, will travel to New Hampshire for a speech Tuesday that could mark the beginning of his 2020 presidential campaign.
Castro, 43, is slated to headline the New Hampshire Young Democrats 2018 Granite Slate Awards Dinner on Tuesday evening.
“I have every interest in running” in 2020 for president, Castro said, according to a report. “Part of the process of figuring out whether I’m going to run is going to listen to folks and feel the temperature” of voters.
Castro, who was considered for Hillary Clinton’s running mate in 2016, launched the Opportunity First PAC earlier this year and is working on a memoir. He said President Trump’s first year in office partially contributed to his desire to run for commander in chief.
“This guy is taking the country in the completely wrong direction and he’s hurting people while he’s doing it. I have a completely different vision for the country and this seems like an important moment to turn things around,” Castro said.
Due to New Hampshire’s position as the first primary state, Castro’s trip indicates he may be serious about going for the Democratic nomination to take on Trump in two years.
“I’m going to spend my time in 2018 making sure that great young progressive candidates get elected. I’ve been very impressed with the groundwork the New Hampshire Democrats have done getting young people to step up, supporting candidates to take back important seats,” he said.
Iowa holds its caucuses prior to New Hampshire’s primaries.
