Castro Withdraws from Presidential Race

Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro is out of the race for the White House.

Castro announced in an email to supporters on Thursday that he will be withdrawing from the race for President, marking the exit of the final Texan from the Democratic presidential primary. Castro’s Texas counterpart in the primary, former U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke, exited late last year due to sagging poll numbers of fundraising woes.

“I know this news hurts—but I’m not done fighting,” Castro said in an email to supporters. “I’m going to keep working to build an America where everyone counts, and where Democrats win races up and down the ballot.”

While he is out of the race, Castro will remain on the ballot in a number of states where ballot filing has already wrapped up. Pundits have speculated that despite his withdrawal, Castro will remain at the top of the list for potential Democratic vice presidential candidate picks in 2020.