# IS Julian Castro as Hillary Running Mate a Done Deal? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [May 19, 2015, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-julian-castro-as-hillary-running-mate-a-done-deal/720366 "2015-05-19T15:01:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2015, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-julian-castro-as-hillary-running-mate-a-done-deal/720366/1 "2015-05-19T15:01:36Z")
Obviously, people have been eying Julian Castro for bigger and better things for some time now, and no one (including myself) would have been shocked if Hillary had picked him as her running mate next year. But in some quarters, it being said that this is a done deal, and that Hillary doesn’t even have a second choice. I can certainly see the advantages to having a Hispanic on the ticket, and Castro might be a very good choice from a purely strategic standpoint. But what do you think? Is he now a sure thing or close to it? And is he qualified? Especially given that his biggest job to date is mayor of San Antonio- a city which is actually run by a City Manager, and which pays its mayor a pittance. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2015, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-julian-castro-as-hillary-running-mate-a-done-deal/720366/2 "2015-05-19T15:06:50Z")
Not a done deal by any means and not likely in my opinion. I don’t think his resume is thick enough. There’s also the matter of his last name, I can just see the right wing Facebook posts “OMFG! Hillary picks Castro! Proof she’s a Commie!” ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2015, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-julian-castro-as-hillary-running-mate-a-done-deal/720366/3 "2015-05-19T15:29:35Z")
Who? Besides, a done deal on the 2016 running mate in May 2015? I suspect you’re reading a story planted by Castro’s people. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2015, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-julian-castro-as-hillary-running-mate-a-done-deal/720366/4 "2015-05-19T15:41:39Z")
No, not a done deal. I doubt he’s even gone through vetting. He’ll probably be considered, though, but he won’t be the only one. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2015, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-julian-castro-as-hillary-running-mate-a-done-deal/720366/5 "2015-05-19T15:54:25Z")
As others have said, nobody picks a running mate this early. 1. While Clinton looks strong now, her nomination is not a foregone conclusion. She got surprised in 2008 after all. 2. Some other candidate could emerge as a contender and Clinton might make a deal with him to get his supporters. 3. Clinton will have to see how her campaign is developing in order to see where she has vulnerabilities and needs a running mate to balance the ticket. 4. Clinton will also have to see who the Republican nominees are likely to be in order to figure out which groups are winnable and can be swayed by her VP choice. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2015, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-julian-castro-as-hillary-running-mate-a-done-deal/720366/6 "2015-05-19T16:11:43Z")
If I were Biden, I’d be jockeying big-time for her veep slot. I mean, moving out of an office is _hard_! ---
**Author:** ![Aro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b3f665/32.png) [@Aro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aro)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2015, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-julian-castro-as-hillary-running-mate-a-done-deal/720366/7 "2015-05-19T16:28:04Z")
Bit of an aside really, but would anybody be a popular enough choice to potentially put Texas on the table for the Democrats? How close is Texas to turning blue? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2015, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-julian-castro-as-hillary-running-mate-a-done-deal/720366/8 "2015-05-19T16:39:29Z")
> [@Aro](#): > > Bit of an aside really, but would anybody be a popular enough choice to potentially put Texas on the table for the Democrats? How close is Texas to turning blue? Probably not unless the Republican is historically buffoonish (and not from Texas!). Choosing Castro would (presumably) be to solidify Hispanic support for the Democratic party and set up a winning 2024 candidate, at a time in which Texas really might start to be in play. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2015, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-julian-castro-as-hillary-running-mate-a-done-deal/720366/9 "2015-05-19T16:42:12Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > If I were Biden, I’d be jockeying big-time for her veep slot. I mean, moving out of an office is _hard_! Even worse, the place he & the Mrs. are staying in DC. I figure, if people had a problem with Obama because of his name, they’ll have plenty of problem with somebody named Castro. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2015, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-julian-castro-as-hillary-running-mate-a-done-deal/720366/10 "2015-05-19T16:42:43Z")
> [@Aro](#): > > Bit of an aside really, but would anybody be a popular enough choice to potentially put Texas on the table for the Democrats? How close is Texas to turning blue? Not very. Projections I’ve seen don’t figure it to be competitive until 2026 or 2032 – assuming that Hispanics remain a Democratic voting bloc during all that time. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2015, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-julian-castro-as-hillary-running-mate-a-done-deal/720366/11 "2015-05-19T17:42:01Z")
Castro is currently Secretary of HUD, which counts as his biggest job to date. I’m still trying to figure out if looking like Lt. Sulu is a plus or a minus, though. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2015, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-julian-castro-as-hillary-running-mate-a-done-deal/720366/12 "2015-05-19T18:28:27Z")
Why Julian, not Joaquin? Executive background as big-city mayor, maybe? ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2015, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-julian-castro-as-hillary-running-mate-a-done-deal/720366/13 "2015-05-19T19:17:00Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Why Julian, not Joaquin? Executive background as big-city mayor, maybe? Joaquin Phoenix isn’t actually the mayor of Phoenix though. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2015, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-julian-castro-as-hillary-running-mate-a-done-deal/720366/14 "2015-05-19T19:37:13Z")
Hmm? Julian and Joaquin Castro are twin brothers. The latter is a congressman from San Antonio, the former is its former mayor and now HUD Secretary. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2015, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-julian-castro-as-hillary-running-mate-a-done-deal/720366/15 "2015-05-19T19:37:42Z")
OP, where exactly is this being said? Castro’s obviously a future Democratic star but the future isn’t close to now. > [@Aro](#): > > Bit of an aside really, but would anybody be a popular enough choice to potentially put Texas on the table for the Democrats? How close is Texas to turning blue? Willie Nelson, maybe. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2015, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-julian-castro-as-hillary-running-mate-a-done-deal/720366/16 "2015-05-19T19:58:50Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Hmm? Julian and Joaquin Castro are twin brothers. The latter is a congressman from San Antonio, the former is its former mayor and now HUD Secretary. Just a Joaquin joke. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2015, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-julian-castro-as-hillary-running-mate-a-done-deal/720366/17 "2015-05-19T21:43:44Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > OP, where exactly is this being said? Castro’s obviously a future Democratic star but the future isn’t close to now. The OP is using the Julian calendar. ---
**Author:** ![Stringbean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Stringbean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stringbean)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2015, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-julian-castro-as-hillary-running-mate-a-done-deal/720366/18 "2015-05-19T23:07:11Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > If I were Biden, I’d be jockeying big-time for her veep slot. I mean, moving out of an office is _hard_! If this was innuendo, consider my attention fully erect. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2015, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-julian-castro-as-hillary-running-mate-a-done-deal/720366/19 "2015-05-19T23:34:36Z")
> [@Aro](#): > > Bit of an aside really, but would anybody be a popular enough choice to potentially put Texas on the table for the Democrats? How close is Texas to turning blue? There was that Democrat I heard a lot about a few years back. Young, good looking Hispanic guy. A Texas congressman and former Mayor of Houston… Oh no, wait, I’m thinking of Matt Santos. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2015, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-julian-castro-as-hillary-running-mate-a-done-deal/720366/20 "2015-05-20T00:05:07Z")
I’m still holding out for Mark Warner, myself. Lock those 13 electoral votes DOWN. But I could see Castro being a great choice, too. Hillary doesn’t need someone like Biden - who provided foreign policy experience - to backstop her bona fides. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-julian-castro-as-hillary-running-mate-a-done-deal/720366.md?page=2)