*See our full list of 2020 Democrats here*
Quick Facts
Who: Julián Castro
State: Texas
Current position: Presidential candidate for 2020
Campaign Website: www.julianforthefuture.com/
Background: Julián Castro, along with his brother, Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Tx., graduated from Stanford University in 1996 and Harvard Law School 2000. Julián received a bachelor’s in political science and communications, and later a Juris Doctor. In 2001, Castro won a seat on the San Antonio city council. He then served as the city’s mayor from 2009 to 2014. Afterwards, he became the United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under the Obama administration until 2017.
2020 Campaign & Endorsements
Date Announced: Jan. 12, 2019
Fundraising: $1.1 million raised in first quarter
Campaign Leadership: Maya Rupert
Key Endorsements: Joaquin Castro, Colin Allred, Ron Nirenberg
Political Positions
- Healthcare: Castro supports the socialist “Medicare for All” system, and wishes to tax the rich “0.05, 0.5 or 1 percent” of citizens in order to fund it.
- Environment: Castro wants to undo what President Donald Trump has done by rejoining the Paris Climate Treaty.
- Economy: Castro wishes to renegotiate the NAFTA trade deal in order to provide more protections for workers and the environment.
- Border Security: Castro has openly called out against both the recent government shutdown and the funding of a border wall. According to his campaign website, Castro said, “It’s about separating our country from the rest of the world and cowering in fear. This is not how most Americans want us to behave — neither building a wall nor shutting down the government. Let us be clear: Any bill to fund the government must not include any funding for a wall at our southern border. Democrats in Congress should not buckle to the tyrant’s demands.”
- Social Issues:Castro believes in providing more protections for minority groups. He’s calledfor police body cameras if elected president and promised to make executive powers to “target unconscious racial biases in policing.” He signed the “Mayors for the Freedom to Marry” petition to provide protections for same-sex marriages
- Gun Control: Castro wants to put more regulations on gun purchase and ownership. Specifically he wants to ensure that background checks and waiting periods are enforced at gun shows. He supported Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s, D-Calif., push for an “assault weapons ban.” The bill sought to regulate the ownership of semiautomatic weapons, which include any weapon that only requires the release of its trigger to reload. It also targeted weapons with detachable magazine and certain grips.
- Abortion: Castro opposed Texas legislation to prevent abortions in the state after 20 weeks of pregnancy.
This piece is part of our Election 2020 series. See below for more information on the most talked about Democrats challenging President Trump.