Julián Castro, who ended his presidential campaign in early January, endorsed Joe Biden today with a call for "real reform to address our broken policing system."
Why it matters: Castro’s endorsement comes as protests against police use of excessive force, especially in communities of color, have wracked the country for the past week, triggered by the death of George Floyd while in Minneapolis police custody. Throughout the primary, Castro made police reform a central part of his campaign.
- At debates, he'd often say the names of black and brown Americans who have been killed by police, advocating for broad police and criminal justice reforms.
- Castro and his twin brother, Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas), were staunch supporters of Sen. Elizabeth Warren for president, who's in the running to be Biden's VP.
- Julián Castro endorsed Warren when he dropped his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination, before she dropped out as well.
- Most of the other 2020 contenders have already endorsed Biden, but Castro's timing — and his ties to the progressive wing of the Democratic Party — adds weight to Biden's candidacy.
- Castro is the former San Antonio mayor and he served as Housing and Urban Development secretary in the Obama administration.
In his endorsement, Castro wrote that Biden "recognizes the urgent need" for reform.
- "I’m proud to support him, and I look forward to seeing these reforms become law, so that what happened to George Floyd never happens again," he wrote.
