Julián Castro announces his candidacy for president – By Dylan McGuinness (mysa.com) / Jan 12 2019
SAN ANTONIO, Texas — Former San Antonio Mayor Julián Castro announced Saturday that he is running for president, as hundreds gathered at the West Side’s historic Plaza Guadalupe to hear him speak.
“I’m running for president because it’s time for new leadership, because it’s time for new energy and it’s time for a new commitment to make sure that the opportunities that I’ve had are available to every American,” he told supporters.
Castro said he was proud to call himself a son of San Antonio, and noted that the West Side where he spoke is a community built by immigrants.
“So many journeys for me and my family have begun right here,” Castro told the crowd. “And today, we begin another one.”
He said his story would not be possible without the strong women who came before him and passed the baton. But he said that “today we are at risk of dropping that baton” because of poor leadership.
“We’re going to make sure that the promise of America is available to everyone in the 21st century,” he said.
Castro, who also led the Department of Housing and Urban Development under President Obama, is one of the first in the country to join what is expected to become a very crowded Democratic field.
In sometimes soaring rhetoric, he said he would push for universal healthcare, affordable housing, criminal justice and immigration reforms.
“My family’s story wouldn’t be possible without a country that challenged itself to live up to the promise of America,” Castro said. “That was the point of the American dream. It wasn’t supposed to be just a dream. America was a place where dreams could become real.”
He noted that his grandmother suffered from diabetes, but received good medical care.
“Thank god Medicare was there for her, it should be available for everyone in this country — Medicare for all,” he said.
And he said today’s immigration crisis is a “crisis of leadership” by President Trump.
“We say no to building a wall and yes to building community.”
