New Castro Endorsers Emphasize Pledge To Fight For Everyone

By Nikoel Hytrek

August 29, 2019

Julian Castro, the former Secretary of Housing Urban Development under President Barack Obama, announced a new list of Iowa endorsements on Thursday.

Four of the eight individuals have a connection to organizations advocating for Latinx Americans, particularly the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC).

Those are:

Jonathan Munoz, the LULAC Council 308 President

Andrew Bribriesco, legal advisor for LULAC

Maria Mellado, the Mount Pleasant LULAC council president

Adalberto “Beto” Castrejon, the former president of the University of Northern Iowa Hispanic Latino Student Union.

“I support Secretary Castro because he ‘walks the walk.’ He does not just talk about the major issues facing our communities, but he has taken a concrete stance to solve them,” said Bribriesco, who is also a workers’ rights attorney. “Secretary Castro has walked through, seen, and listened to the concerns of our communities. He represents the future of politics and is inspirational to many, even those who previously have ‘given-up’ on politics.”

Although Castro lost a close, hard-fought effort for the Asian & Latino Coalition endorsement earlier this month, he continues to pick up community leader support throughout the state. These supporters are from a mix of rural and urban areas in the state.

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Castro’s other endorsers include:

Lindsey Ellickson, a Cedar Rapids community leader and state central committee member of the Iowa Democratic Party.

Dave Barajas, Marshalltown community leader

Don “Bart” Bartholomew, former Fremont County Supervisor

And Dawn Martinez Oropeza, a community leader and arts activist in Des Moines

“I support Secretary Castro because I believe he is committed to serving all people, no matter their background or hometown,” Ellickson said. “His commitment to lifting up the voices of those usually left out goes above and beyond, and he embodies the type of leader I believe should be in the White House.”

These endorsements come after Castro’s eleventh visit to Iowa. Last week, he visited TPI Composites in Newton, Iowa, where he spoke about investing in green jobs and renewable energy.

“I am traveling to every corner of Iowa and am honored to have the support of these leaders who know these communities best and work every day to make them better,” Castro said.

Castro has put together a solid list of other Iowa endorsements, including Rob Barron, a Des Moines school board member and founder of the Latino Political Network, Steve Villatoro, vice chair of Latino Caucus and Joe Henry, who has been a leader and activist in the Latino community.

by Nikoel Hytrek
Photo by Julie Fleming
Posted 8/29/19

Nikoel Hytrek

Nikoel Hytrek is Iowa Starting Line’s longest-serving reporter. She covers LGBTQ issues, abortion rights and all topics of interest to Iowans. Her biggest goal is to help connect the dots between policy and people’s real lives. If you have story ideas or tips, send them over to [email protected].

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CATEGORIES: Iowa Caucus

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