From the Express-News:
In the home stretch of a crucial election effort to pass his pre-K education plan, Mayor Julian Castro is being drafted for a different race, two years away.
Bexar County Democratic Party Chairman Manuel Medina launched a social media movement last week to draft Castro for the 2014 Texas governor’s race.
Medina, who unseated former party Chairwoman Choco Meza in May, describes the push as an attempt to capitalize on Castro’s ascendant national profile and create grass-roots momentum for a Castro candidacy.
* * * * I am among those who believe that Mr. Castro is an emerging political talent who has a bright future. But, as I have written before, that future is more likely to be in Washington than in Texas. The state Democratic party is not capable of supporting a statewide race and will not be able to do so until the Latino vote matures. That occurrence is years away–at best, 2018 or 2020.
Castro has the benefit of time. Unlike the Republican wannabes who have hung around since they first won office a decade ago,he can afford to wait and see how Texas politics unfolds. He has already taken one big gamble by pushing for his Pre-K 4 SA program, which would be funded by a 1/8-cent sales tax. It was a bold decision, and a risky one — exposing himself to a potentially crushing defeat early in his political career. Democrats are understandably hungry to win something, but it takes more than hope. I see no evidence of a Democratic renaissance. Where is the fundraising base? Steve Mostyn can’t do it single-handedly, and the other trial lawyers aren’t playing. The state is still overwhelmingly Republican.
