Former HUD Secretary Julian Castro Drops Out Of 2020 Presidential Race

KEY POINTS

Julian Castro drops out of the presidential race
Castro was the only Latino candidate
His departure further narrows the Democratic primary field

Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro has officially withdrawn from the 2020 Democratic presidential primary, further narrowing the field as we head into an even more heated election season.

NBC reports that the former Obama administration official, and the only Latino candidate in the 2020 primary, tweeted an announcement earlier this morning expressing gratitude for his supporters and pride in what his campaign had accomplished prior to his decision to pull out of the race.

Castro’s campaign faced difficulty from the start. While the former San Antonio mayor had a couple of breakout moments during the debates on immigration and a few memorable spats with primary frontrunner Joe Biden, he consistently failed to meet critical fundraising thresholds that would keep him up on the stage.

"I’ve determined that it simply isn’t our time," Castro said in a video message announcing his departure from the race. "Today it’s with a heavy heart, and profound gratitude, that I will suspend my campaign for president."

Castro’s comparatively progressive platform created further difficulty, as he had to struggle to keep pace with fellow ultra-left firebrands like Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren while sparring with more moderate contenders like Biden and Pete Buttigieg.

While his supporters are certainly despondent over his decision, Castro has vowed to continue to stay engaged with politics. "I’m not done fighting," Castro added. "I’ll keep working towards a nation where everyone counts, a nation where everyone can get a good job, good health care and a decent place to live."

News of his departure from the race comes right after the surprising revelation that Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders raised a whopping $34.5 million dollars in the last quarter of 2019, only two months after suffering a heart attack that threatened to put his campaign on ice for good. Buttigieg trails with $25 million while Biden and Warren’s third-quarter numbers have yet to be released.