Castro ends presidential run, Charles City visit presumed off

By James Grob, jgrob@charlescitypress.com

Democratic presidential candidate Julián Castro, the former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, has suspended his campaign and ended his bid for the presidency.

Castro had been scheduled to meet and greet voters at Saint Charles Brewing Co. in Charles City on Sunday as part of a campaign visit to the state.

Although there was no official word from the campaign, with Castro leaving the race it can be presumed these events are canceled. Proprietors at Saint Charles Brewery said Thursday morning that they had not heard from the campaign.

Castro announced the decision in a video on Twitter and other social media early Thursday morning.

“It’s with profound gratitude to all of our supporters that I suspend my campaign for president today,” he wrote on Twitter. “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.”

Castro, age 45, was one of several Democratic Party candidates seeking the party’s nomination to face President Donald Trump in the general election next November. He said that with only a month until the Iowa caucuses and given the circumstances of the campaign season, “I’ve determined that it simply isn’t our time.”

Castro’s poll numbers rarely rose above 2% support during the duration of his campaign, and failed to make the November and December debate stages.

Castro, from Texas, served as the 16th HUD secretary from 2014-17. He served as mayor of his home town of San Antonio from 2009-2014. He was often mentioned as a possible running mate for Hillary Clinton during the 2016 presidential campaign, but Clinton ultimately selected U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, from Virginia.

He had not yet met the requirements for the next debate, which will take place on Jan. 14 in Iowa.

Iowa’s first-in-the-nation caucuses are scheduled to take place Feb. 3.