Julián Castro releases 58 endorsements ahead of debate

Julián Castro’s presidential campaign rolled out dozens of endorsements Monday from current and former state and local elected officials, activists, community leaders, party leaders and Latino leaders.

In a bid to make a splash before Tuesday’s primary debate in Westerville, Ohio, Castro released a list of 50-plus endorsements first obtained by POLITICO. Castro is among the dozen candidates who have qualified to participate.

“Julián is not a lightweight. He can deliver a power punch and take one,” said former Texas state Rep. Norma Chàvez, who represented part of El Paso County from 1997 to 2011. “His Harvard debate skills prove he can debate assertively, and factually in the general election. Julián represents the values that will protect the Constitution, working families, the environment, health care, and voter rights. He is the right candidate at the right time.”

Only two members of Congress have endorsed Castro for president: Texas Rep. Joaquin Castro, his twin brother, campaign chairman and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus chair; and Texas Rep. Colin Allred, who worked under Julián Castro at the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

But the latest slate of endorsements includes support from current and former officials from Arizona, New Mexico, Minnesota, Texas and California, and Latino leaders from the Clinton and Obama White Houses and administrations, Nebraska, California, Minnesota and Florida.

Noemi McGregor, president of the Democratic Hispanic Caucus of Florida, said she supports Castro “because his progressive policies have reflected the priorities of the Latino community.”

“Sec. Castro understands our community’s complex dynamics — we are Mexican, Cuban, Venezuelan, Puerto Rican, Central American,” she said. “Sec. Castro has demonstrated that he’s willing to address our individual needs, and not treat us as a monolithic group. We feel seen, heard, and empowered, and his candidacy will help mobilize our country’s biggest voting bloc to the polls.”

The Castro brothers were in New York on Sunday for the 20th Annual New Yorker Festival. They participated in a discussion with Jonathan Blitzer.

Castro also recently began dispatching additional surrogates to campaign on his behalf. His mother, civil rights activist Rosie Castro, went on a solo, three-day trip through Iowa last week. His campaign manager, Maya Rupert, made stops in Las Vegas two days last week, while Joaquin Castro was there on Friday for a pride parade and other events.

Tuesday also represents the latest filing deadline for candidates’ third-quarter fundraising reports. Castro’s campaign has not said publicly how much it raised from July through September.