Julian Castro, a member of President Obama’s cabinet, announced his support today for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.
Housing and Urban Development Department Secretary Castro, who was in San Antonio, endorsed Clinton on MSNBC just before the former secretary of state spoke at a “Latinos for Hillary” rally in the same Texas city.
“My support of Secretary Clinton is based on a long relationship that Joaquin and I have had with her as well as with former President Clinton,” said Castro on MSNBC. “I believe she has a very strong vision for the future of the country.”
Julian Castro is a former mayor of San Antonio and one of the Democratic Party’s most visible and influential Latino leaders. His identical twin brother is a congressman, Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, who endorsed Clinton last year.
Julian Castro has played down suggestions that he was on already on a “short-list” of vice presidential possibilities. Today, he attempted to shrug off a question about that and said, “I doubt that’s going to happen.”
Castro said he was dedicated to his job at HUD. “I learned a long time in life that the number one way to ensure that you have a good future is to do a great job with what’s in front of you,” he said.
When Clinton was asked about him as a vice presidential running mate, she told Javier Palomarez, president and CEO of the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce during a Q&A session today in San Antonio, "I am really going to look hard at him for anything, because that is how good he is."
Maria Recio: 202-383-6103, @maria_e_recio