History of Julian Castro in Timeline

Julián Castro is a prominent American politician and lawyer hailing from San Antonio, Texas. A member of the Democratic Party, he held the position of the 16th United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under President Barack Obama from 2014 to 2017, notably as the youngest member of the cabinet. Prior to his cabinet role, Castro served as the mayor of San Antonio from 2009 to 2014. He gained national attention during his tenure as mayor for his focus on urban revitalization and economic development initiatives in San Antonio.

2007: Castro Marries Erica Lira

Julian Castro married Erica Lira, an elementary school teacher, in 2007.

2009: Castro Leads San Antonio Pride Parade

In 2009, Castro became the first San Antonio mayor to serve as grand marshal of the city's Pride Parade.

2009: Castro's Daughter is Born

Julian Castro's daughter was born in 2009.

2010: Castro Learns Spanish

While serving as mayor of San Antonio, Castro began learning Spanish in 2010.

2011: Castro Supports Domestic Partner Benefits

Castro led an effort in 2011 to introduce domestic partner benefits in San Antonio.

2012: Castro Supports Marriage Equality

In 2012, Castro signed the "Mayors for the Freedom to Marry" petition, supporting same-sex marriage equality.

December 2014: Castro's Son is Born

Julian Castro's son was born in December 2014.

October 15, 2015: Castro Endorses Hillary Clinton

On October 15, 2015, Julian Castro endorsed Hillary Clinton for president. Clinton praised Castro's abilities and hinted at considering him for the vice presidency.

January 2016: Castro Campaigns for Clinton

In January 2016, discussions intensified about Castro as Clinton's potential running mate. He started campaigning for her in Iowa, seen as a test of his electability.

July 2016: Castro's Hatch Act Violation

In July 2016, the U.S. Office of Special Counsel found Castro in violation of the Hatch Act for discussing the 2016 campaign during an official interview. Castro admitted the mistake and ordered further Hatch Act training for his team.

2017: Castro's Final Memo as HUD Secretary

In 2017, Julian Castro's final memo as HUD Secretary highlighted the department's achievements during his tenure. These included stabilizing the housing market, rebuilding communities after natural disasters with a $1 billion National Disaster Resilience Competition, expanding lead safety measures in federally assisted housing, and implementing the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing rule to fully realize the Fair Housing Act.

2017: Castro's PAC and Campaign Finance

In 2017, despite pledging not to accept PAC money for his presidential campaign, Castro founded the Opportunity First PAC, primarily covering his campaign costs and supporting several young progressive Democrats.

May 12, 2018: Castro's New Hampshire Visit

On May 12, 2018, Castro visited New Hampshire, a key primary state, and delivered a commencement address at New England College. He stated his decision regarding the 2020 presidential race would be announced post the November 2018 mid-term elections.

October 2018: Castro Publishes Memoir

Julian Castro published his memoir, "An Unlikely Journey: Waking Up from My American Dream," in October 2018.

November 2018: Castro Considers 2020 Run

In November 2018, Julian Castro indicated he would decide about a 2020 presidential run after the midterm elections.

December 12, 2018: Castro Forms Exploratory Committee

Castro announced the formation of a presidential exploratory committee on December 12, 2018, signaling a potential 2020 presidential bid.

June 26, 2019: Castro's Immigration Policy

On June 26, 2019, during the Democratic primary debates, Castro advocated for a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, opposed Trump's border wall, and proposed reclassifying illegal immigration as a civil rather than criminal offense by repealing Section 1325 of Title 8.

2019: Castro's Stance on Abortion Access

During the 2019 Democratic debates, Castro pledged to expand abortion access to transgender men, later clarifying his position to include all transgender and non-binary individuals after a correction on Twitter.