On Thursday, Jan. 2, Julián Castro suspended his bid for the Democratic nomination for president, and people took to social media to express their sadness, if not their surprise. On Thursday morning, Castro shared a video to Twitter thanking his supporters. Whenever a candidate ends their bid, it’s normal for supporters to mourn the loss of their candidate’s presence in the race. When Sen. Kamala Harris announced she was suspending her campaign due to fundraising issues, for example, the #KHive took to Twitter to deeply celebrate what she brought to the race. Julián Castro’s supporters are doing the same, and, like Harris, it’s not just a favorites game. Supporters are mourning a major blow to representation both in the race and on the debate stage, as well as policies that center some of the most disenfranchised and marginalized voices.
The former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and Mayor of San Antonio, Castro had some of the most progressive policies in the race. As Daily Kos previously covered, Castro offered plans for combating hunger, a people-first disability policy, called for decriminalizing crossing the border, tried to address police brutality, and more. In interviews and on the debate stage, Castro used trans-inclusive language, including when it came to abortion and reproductive health. Castro also centered homeless populations—some of the most disenfranchised among us—in his outreach. While he was a long-shot favorite of many on the left, Castro struggled to advance in polling.
Now, let’s dig into the nuances of what people are already missing about Castro’s candidacy, as well as their speculations on why some candidates aren’t making it in the race, and whether or not he’ll be a likely VP pick.
First, here is Castro’s tweet and video.
And now, people celebrating what he was able to accomplish in his run, and why his candidacy was so meaningful to begin with.
Many people are using Castro’s departure as an opportunity to talk about race and wealth, and how those factors may play a role in who gets to stay in the race.
As well as the primary process itself.
People also gave special thanks to his campaign manager, Maya Rupert.
Even early in the campaign cycle, when Castro was present on the debate stage, many speculated that he might be an excellent pick for vice president. People are still talking about that possibility today:
You can check out our Making Progress interview with Castro below.