He's in!
Former San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro hits major milestone in presidential race
Former San Antonio Mayor Julián Castro lives to fight another day in the Democratic presidential primary.
Castro, who also served as Housing and Urban Development secretary in the Obama administration, qualified for the next presidential debate in September after showing 2 percent support in a new poll, CNN reports. That is the fourth poll in which Castro received at least 2 percent support between June 28 and August 28 — one of the thresholds to making the stage in Houston.
The candidate reacted to the news on Twitter, saying: "Thank you to our growing number of supporters across the country!"
Presidential candidates also need to show they've received contributions from at least 130,000 individual donors. Castro — and nine other Democrats, including former Vice President Joe Biden, California Sen. Kamala Harris, former U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren — already checked that box.
Castro drew national attention after sparring with O'Rourke during the June debate; running an ad speaking directly to President Donald Trump during Fox News' morning show, Fox & Friends, which the president watches religiously; and just recently for rolling out an animal welfare plan.
Watch Castro take on his fellow Dems during the next debates, scheduled for September 12-13 at Texas Southern University in Houston. ABC News will be televising the event.