Former Castro, Harris Supporters Gravitate to Biden

Former HUD Secretary Julián Castro endorsed Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) on Monday a few days after he dropped out of the race.

However, former Vice President Joe Biden’s campaign told The Texas Tribune that he picked up 11 new endorsements from Texas. Nine of those people once supported Castro.

Biden’s campaign also said that he now has more support from those who backed Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA).

Julián Castro Texas Supporters

The Texas Tribune reported:

In an announcement first shared with The Texas Tribune, Biden’s campaign unveiled 11 new Texas endorsements, including nine from people who had been with Castro. They include five state representatives and members of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus: Reps. Rafael Anchia of Dallas, Ryan Guillen of Rio Grande City, Eddie Lucio III of Brownsville, Oscar Longoria of Mission and Armando “Mando” Martínez of Weslaco.Biden’s campaign hailed the endorsements as “reflective of the momentum Joe Biden has going into Super Tuesday,” or March 3, when Texas holds its delegate-rich primary.“Many of these community leaders previously endorsed Secretary Castro and are now supporting Joe Biden because they know that Biden has the experience, record, and heart to step into the Oval Office and immediately deliver for working families,” Biden’s Texas state director, Jane Hamilton, said in a statement.Biden’s latest Texas endorsements also include Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff; Justin Rodriguez, the Bexar County commissioner and former state representative from San Antonio; Leticia Van de Putte, the former state senator from San Antonio and 2014 nominee for lieutenant governor; Debra Guerrero, a trustee for the San Antonio Independent School District; and San Antonio lawyer Frank Herrera and his wife Cecilia Herrera, a former foreign diplomat.

Castro received endorsements in March 2019 from Martínez, Lucio, Anchia, Guillen, Rodriguez, and Wolff. He was one of the first candidates to announce his 2020 presidential campaign.

Warren has hit Texas the hardest, but Biden has topped the polls in the Lone Star State. He also has more endorsements in the state.

Kamala Harris California Supporters

Former supporters of Harris’s presidential campaign made their way to Biden in December 2019. The two clashed in the early debates, but after Harris dropped out, Biden said he would consider her as a running mate.

The Hill reported that the campaign has 13 new supporters from California:

The endorsements in California include nods from three state senators, Bill Dodd, Cathleen Galgiani and Anthony Portantino, as well as two state Assembly members, Ken Cooley and Al Muratsuchi.Biden was also backed by the following California officials: Los Angeles District Attorney Jackie Lacey, Los Angeles Community College District Board of Trustees President Andra Hoffman, Los Altos City Vice Mayor Neysa Fligor, El Monte City Councilmember Maria Morales, San Gabriel City Councilmember Denise Menchaca, Alhambra Unified School District board member Robert Gin, former state Sen. Art Torres, and former assistant secretary to the Department of Housing and Urban Development John Travisña.

Biden now has the support of 40 leaders from California. Sen. Dianne Feinstein and five California House members have thrown their support behind Biden.

Tags: 2020 Democratic Primary, California, Joe Biden, Julian Castro, Kamala Harris, Texas

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