Preceded by Charlie Gonzalez Religion Roman Catholicism Children Andrea Elena Castro Political party Democratic Siblings Julian Castro | Succeeded by Justin Rodriguez Spouse Anna Flores (m. 2013) Preceded by Art Reyna Name Joaquin Castro Nieces Carina Castro | |
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Born September 16, 1974 (age 50)
San Antonio, Texas, U.S. ( 1974-09-16 ) Alma mater Stanford University
Harvard University Role United States Representative Office Representative (D-TX 20th District) since 2013 Parents Jesse Guzman, Rosie Castro Profiles | ||
Creating an infrastructure of opportunity joaquin castro at tedxyouth laredo
Joaquín Castro (born September 16, 1974) is an American Democratic politician who has served in the U.S. House of Representatives for Texas's 20th congressional district since 2013. The district includes just over half of his native San Antonio, Texas, as well as some of its nearby suburbs. From 2003 to 2013, Castro was a member of the Texas House of Representatives for District 125. While in the Texas state legislature, Castro served as vice-chair of the Higher Education Committee and was a member of the Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence Committee. He also previously served on other committees, such as County Affairs, Border & International Affairs, and Juvenile Justice & Family Issues.
Contents
- Creating an infrastructure of opportunity joaquin castro at tedxyouth laredo
- Congressman joaquin castro of texas speaks at march of washington anniversary
- Early life education and early career
- Elections
- Committee assignments
- Tenure
- Personal life
- National and international honors
- Awards and recognitions
- Notable speaking engagements
- Conferences
- Mayor juli n castro and texas state representative joaqu n castro early vote is the difference
- References
His identical twin brother, Julián Castro, was the Mayor of San Antonio from 2009 to 2014 and Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under President Barack Obama from 2014 to 2017.
Congressman joaquin castro of texas speaks at march of washington anniversary
Early life, education, and early career
Castro was born and raised in San Antonio and attended Thomas Jefferson High School. Castro has stated that his interest in public service developed at a young age from watching his parents' involvement in political campaigns and civic causes. His father, Jessie Guzman, was a retired mathematics teacher from the Edgewood Independent School District in the west side of San Antonio, and his mother, Marie "Rosie" Castro, a community activist. Jessie and Rosie never married. He graduated with honors from Stanford University with a Bachelor of Arts in political science and communications and earned a Juris Doctorate with his twin brother at Harvard Law School in Cambridge, Massachusetts. After law school, the two brothers continued together to work for the law firm Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld before starting their own firm in 2005.
He worked in public education, health care, and the juvenile justice system. Castro is a member of the National College Advising Corps, St. Mary's University Mission and Identity Taskforce, St. Philip's College President's Advisory Board, and Texas Family Impact Seminar.
Elections
Castro ran for Texas's 125th House district in 2002. He defeated incumbent State Representative Arthur Reyna in the Democratic primary 64-36 percent. In the general election, he defeated Republican Nelson Balido, 60-40 percent. He was twenty-eight at the time of his election to the state House. In 2004, he won re-election to a second term unopposed. In 2006, he won re-election to a third term, defeating Republican Nelson Balido, 58%-38%. In 2008, he won re-election to a fourth term unopposed. In 2010, he won re-election to a fifth term, defeating Libertarian Jeffrey Blunt, 78%-22%.
Committee assignments
Elections
In June 2011, Castro announced that he was running for a seat in the United States House of Representatives in the newly-drawn Texas's 35th congressional district. He was initially set to challenge fellow Democrat and nine-term incumbent Lloyd Doggett, whose home in Austin had been drawn into the district, in the Democratic primary However, on November 28, after Charlie Gonzalez of the neighboring 20th District announced his retirement after seven terms, Castro announced his intent to run instead for the 20th District seat. He was unopposed in the Democratic primary, all but assuring him of being the next congressman from this heavily Democratic, Hispanic-majority district. At the 2012 Democratic National Convention, he introduced his brother Julián as keynote speaker. In November 2012, Castro defeated Republican David Rosa 64%-34%. becoming only the fifth person to represent this district since its creation in 1935.
Tenure
Castro was officially sworn into office on January 3, 2013 becoming a member of the 113th United States Congress. He was chosen as the president of the freshman class of Democrats in the 113th Congress. In the 114th Congress, House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer named Castro a Chief Deputy Whip. During the 2016 presidential election, Castro served as a surrogate for Hillary Clinton's campaign.
Committee assignments
Personal life
Castro is the son of Jesse Guzman and Rosie Castro and the identical twin brother of Julián Castro, the former Mayor of San Antonio and the 16th United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development in the Cabinet of President Barack Obama. In addition to his work in the Texas Legislature, Castro practices law in San Antonio. He has also taught as a visiting professor of law at St. Mary's University and as an adjunct professor at Trinity University in San Antonio.
Castro sits on several boards of nonprofit organizations and institutions of higher education, including: Achieving the Dream, the National College Advising Corps, St. Phillip's College President's Advisory Board, St. Mary's University Mission and Identity Taskforce, and the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials' (NALEO) Taskforce on Education.
In early summer of 2013, Castro became engaged to his girlfriend, Anna Flores. The announcement was made by his twin brother, Julian, on his Facebook page. The couple had a daughter in December 2013, and welcomed a son in February 2016.