SAN ANTONIO – Could Julian Castro go from City Hall to the White House?
The former San Antonio mayor and U.S. secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development is considering a run for president in 2020.
Last week, KSAT reported about Castro forming an exploratory committee, which allows him to start raising money for the race. But he hasn't officially said he’s running.
“It’s no secret that I’ve been thinking about this for a while,” Castro said.
On a late-night TV show last week, Castro’s twin brother, Joaquin Castro, said his brother will run for president.
Julian Castro said now is the right time for him to run and that the tone of the Trump administration has played a role in his decision.
“The president today has a vision that doesn't include everybody, that picks and chooses who gets opportunity and who doesn’t,” he said. “I want to ensure that, if I run for president and become president, that I am president for everybody.
If elected, Julian Castro said one of the first things he would work toward is creating universal health care.
But there’s a long way before he can get there, as he’s likely entering a packed field of candidates, which might just include U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke, of El Paso, who became known to the nation during his run for senator against Sen. Ted Cruz.
“I expect there are going to be 15-20 people in this race. It’s going to be crowded,” Castro said. “I’m going to be focused on my own strong vision for the country's future and do that on my timetable and let everybody else figure out what they're going to do and have their own plans."
Castro said he plans to travel the country in the coming weeks and ultimately come back to his hometown to make his announcement on Jan. 12.
“Of course, it will be historic for the city. I don’t think anybody has ever run from San Antonio, but there's no place for me that I would rather do that than here,” Castro said.
Castro said that, in the coming days, he will release details about where he will make his announcement.