Democrat Julián Castro drops out of 2020 presidential race

PAUL J. WEBER Associated Press AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Former Obama housing secretary Julián Castro, the only Latino in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary race, on Thursday ended his campaign that had pushed the field on immigration and swung hard at rivals on the debate stage but never found a foothold to climb from the back of the pack. "I'm so proud of the campaign we've run together. We've shaped the conversation on so many important issues in this race, stood up for the most vulnerable people and given a voice to those who are often forgotten," Castro said in an online video. "But with only a month until the Iowa caucuses, and given the circumstances of this campaign season, I have determined that it simply isn't our time." The video continues, "So today it's with a heavy h