Julian Castro: Only Latino candidate drops out of 2020 election race

Former housing secretary struggled to cut through crowded field of Democratic hopefuls

Julian Castro, the former housing secretary, has announced that he is dropping out of the race for the Democratic nomination for this year’s presidential election.

Mr Castro, the only Latino in the contest, tweeted: “It’s with profound gratitude to all of our supporters that I suspend my campaign for president today.

“I’m so proud of everything we’ve accomplished together. I’m going to keep fighting for an America where everyone counts – I hope you’ll join me in that fight.”

The 45-year-old Texan and former mayor of San Antonio, who served as housing secretary under Barack Obama, had struggled to cut through a crowded field dominated by Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and Pete Buttigieg.

In a video message to supporters he said: “I’m so proud of the campaign we’ve run together. We’ve shaped the conversation on so many important issues in this race, stood up for the most vulnerable people, and given a voice to those who are often forgotten.

“But with only a month until the Iowa caucuses, and given the circumstances of this campaign season, I have determined that it simply isn’t our time.”

He added: “To all who have been inspired by our campaign, especially our young people, keep reaching for your dreams – and keep fighting for what you believe in. Ganaremos un dia – we will win one day.”

The grandson of a Mexican immigrant, Mr Castro had made immigration a central part of his pitch although he also highlighted police violence against people of colour and became the first Democratic candidate to call for Donald Trump to be impeached.

He called for border crossings to be decriminalised, proposed free breakfast and lunch for all public school students in a bid to end hunger in the US and proposed taxing the inherited wealth of the super-rich.

However, his polling numbers seemed stuck at about 1 per cent.

An Economist/YouGov poll published on Wednesday showed him stuck on a single percentage point, with Mr Biden on 29, Mr Sanders on 19, Ms Warren on 18 and Mr Buttigieg on eight.

Mr Castro, whose twin brother Joaquin is a congressman, was also trailing his Democratic rivals in fundraising. In the third quarter of 2019 he raised $3.5m (£2.7m), an improvement on the $2.8m he netted the previous quarter.

By contrast, hours before Mr Castro announced his decision to throw in the towel, Mr Sanders revealed that his fundraising for the fourth quarter totalled a massive $34.5m from small donations averaging $18.53. For the Republicans, Mr Trump pulled in $46m for his re-election campaign over the same period.