White House hopeful Julian Castro claimed to have wide support among Texas Democrats on Thursday an hour after fellow Texan, Beto O’Rourke of El Paso, announced his presidential run.
Castro, a former San Antonio mayor and Obama-era housing secretary, put out a press release that says he “locks down” Texas Democrats’ support, listing 30 elected officials from Texas across all levels of government have vowed their backing for his candidacy.
Castro announced the slate endorsements was the first significant response among the crowded field to O’Rourke’s highly anticipated announcement.
“I’m humbled by the support of so many of my fellow Texas Democrats,” Castro said. “We’ve long been working together to turn Texas blue and I am confident that if I am the Democratic nominee for president, I will carry Texas’ 38 electoral votes to a win on election day 2020.”
Castro has also received three endorsements from the Texas congressional delegation, including two who served in the delegation with ex-Rep. O’Rourke in the House: Rep. Vicente González, a two-term member from Texas’ southern valley, Rep. Colin Allred, a freshman member who ousted the incumbent Republican Pete Sessions, and Rep. Joaquin Castro, his twin brother and his campaign chairman.
Castro is currently struggling to gin up support nationwide, garnering less than 1 percent in a RealClearPolitics average of polls among candidates for the Democratic nomination.
