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CHC Roundup: Rep Joaquin Castro (TX-20) - the Twin of Texas [1]
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Date: 2025-06-07
Rep. Joaquin Castro has served in the House of Representatives since 2012. He’s seen many a cockamamie scheme from the Trump regime but perhaps the one that was the breaking point for him was when DNI Gabbard and CIA Director Ratcliffe testified in front of a Senate committee about the Signal chat leak.
Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) said Trump intelligence officials lied when they said the information included in a Signal group chat regarding an airstrike in Yemen did not include classified information. “The idea that this information, if it was presented to our committee, would not be classified — y’all know it was a lie. That’s ridiculous. I’ve seen things much less sensitive be presented to us with high classification,” Castro said Wednesday. “And to say that it isn’t is a lie to the country.” Castro made the comments to Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe, who both told the Senate Intelligence Committee one day prior that the Signal chat discussing plans for airstrikes on Houthi rebels in Yemen did not include classified information. The discussions came to light after Atlantic Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey Goldberg was inadvertently included in the group chat. “There is no way, no way, having sat on this committee for nine years, that somebody would come in with that information and give us something that says unclassified, [that] you can walk out of this room with this information and give it to whomever you want.”
It is hard to mention one Castro twin without mentioning the other one. The Castro brothers were once considered the next big thing in Texas. However, that was 10-15 years ago. Are they still influential in Texas politics? How effective has Rep. Joaquin Castro been in Congress? These questions will be answered below the fold.
Personal History
Rep. Joaquin Castro has always been tied at the hip with his twin brother.
Rep. Joaquin Castro and his twin brother were born on September 16, 1974 in San Antonio, Texas. Joaquin is the younger brother by one minute. His name came from a poem titled I am Joaquin by Rodolfo Gonzales. His father was a mathematics teacher and his mother a community activist. Joaquin first went to Stanford University for a degree in political science and communications. Then, he and his brother made it to Harvard for a JD degree. After law school, the brothers both worked for the law firm Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld before starting their own firm in 2005.
Rep. Joaquin Castro was the second in the family to run for elected office as his twin brother ran for the San Antonio city council a year before Joaquin ran for the Texas State House. He handily defeated an incumbent in the Democratic primary election in 2002 and that was the last seriously contested election Castro would have to face for the Texas State House.
His early political career in the Texas State House can be summarized by his biography.
Joaquin Castro, 34, represent(ed) a portion of Bexar County in the Texas House of Representatives, which includes the cities of San Antonio and Leon Valley. Joaquin, along with his identical twin brother Julian (a former city councilman and newly elected mayor of San Antonio) are among the vanguards of a new class of Latino leaders that are emerging across the country. He has received state and national attention as a political rising star in the Los Angeles Times, Dallas Morning News, Texas Monthly, Latina Magazine, People en Español, and numerous other publications. Joaquin was born in San Antonio, Texas, September 16, 1974. He was raised in San Antonio's Westside and attended Jefferson High School before leaving his hometown to attend Stanford University. He double majored in communication and political science and graduated with honors in 1996. He then attended Harvard Law School where he received his Juris Doctorate degree in 2000. Joaquin returned to Texas, and at 27 years old, was elected to serve in the Texas House of Representatives in 2002. He represents House District 125, which stretches from the west to the northwest side of San Antonio and is rich in ethnic, social, and economic diversity. Joaquin's interest in public service developed at a young age from watching his parents' involvement in political campaigns and civic causes. His father, a retired teacher, and his mother, a longtime activist in the San Antonio community, instilled in him a deep respect for the democratic process. Joaquin grew up in the world of politics and was raised to value the importance of serving one’s community. Joaquin has worked in the Texas Legislature for four terms and currently serves as the Vice Chairman of the Higher Education Committee and is a member of the County Affairs Committee. In the Legislature, Joaquin has passionately fought to improve the quality of higher education in Texas and to expand access and affordability for our students. He has also worked tirelessly to improve public education, health care, teacher retirement, and the juvenile justice system. In addition to his work in the Texas Legislature, Joaquin 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.
Rep. Joaquin Castro was initially slated to run for Texas’ new 35th district in 2012, putting him on a collision course with longtime Rep. Lloyd Doggett. However, nearby Rep. Charlie Gonzalez retired that year which opened up a seat for Castro without needing to unseat an incumbent.
Issue Positions and Work in Congress
Rep. Joaquin Castro overseeing the migrant camps during the Trump regime 1.0.
Rep. Joaquin Castro came to Congress and immediately began to make waves. He was elected freshman class president of the Democratic caucus in 2013. He would eventually chair the Congressional Hispanic Caucus in the 116th Congress after the very successful 2018 blue wave election. He would also become an impeachment manager for Trump’s second impeachment after the 1/6 insurrection.
In terms of ideology, Castro is right at the median in the Democratic caucus. He’s more liberal than 76% of the entire House of Representatives and more liberal than 52% of his Democratic House colleagues according to DW Nominate. Progressive Punch dings him for that by claiming that someone more progressive could occupy his seat. They have him rated at about an A-/B+ rating. During the Biden presidency, Castro voted for the official party line 100% of the time.
In terms of legislative prowess, Rep. Joaquin Castro has had one resolution get vetoed by President Trump. That resolution was to terminate the state of emergency declaration at the southern border. Castro has not written any legislation that has become law, which is rather embarrassing for a six-term legislator. In the 119th Congress, he has been the primary sponsor of 6 resolutions or bills and he has co-sponsored 92 resolutions or bills.
Rep. Joaquin Castro was a speaker at the 2016 DNC in support of Hillary Clinton.
He took the point in asking Congress and the Biden DoJ to investigate the failures at Uvalde after the mass shooting there.
He recently used Rubio’s words against him when TPS protections were stripped from Venezuelans.
Congressional Chronicle: Week of June 2, 2025
The latest on Capitol Hill when it comes to the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.
Monday, June 2
The Senate voted to invoke cloture on Michael Duffey to be Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment. Cloture was invoked (51/45/4) with all 4 Senators of the CHC voting NAY.
Tuesday, June 3
The Senate voted to confirm the nomination of Michael Duffey to be Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment. The nomination was confirmed (51/46/3) with all 4 Senators of the CHC voting NAY.
The Senate voted to invoke cloture on Allison Hooker to be an Under Secretary of State (Political Affairs). Cloture was invoked (59/37/4) with Sen. Gallego voting AYE while Sens. Cortez Masto, Lujan, and Padilla voting NAY.
The Senate voted to confirm the nomination of Allison Hooker to be an Under Secretary of State (Political Affairs). The nomination was confirmed (59/36/5) with Sen. Gallego voting AYE while Sens. Cortez Masto, Lujan, and Padilla voting NAY
The Senate voted to invoke cloture on Dale Marks to be an Assistant Secretary of Defense. Cloture was invoked (66/28/6) with Sens. Cortez Masto, Lujan, and Padilla voting NAY. Sen. Gallego did not vote.
The Senate voted to confirm the nomination of Dale Marks to be an Assistant Secretary of Defense. The nomination was confirmed (72/26/2) with Sens. Cortez Masto and Gallego voting AYE while Sens. Lujan and Padilla voting NAY.
Wednesday, June 4
The House voted to pass the rules package for the week. H. Res 458 passed (217/208/7) with the entire CHC voting NAY. Rep. Vargas did not vote.
The Senate voted to invoke cloture on Michelle Bowman for a position on the Federal Reserve. Cloture was invoked (51/46/3) with all 4 Senators of the CHC voting NAY.
The Senate voted to invoke cloture on Edward Walsh to be Ambassador to Ireland. Cloture was invoked (60/37/3) with Sen. Gallego voting AYE while Sens. Cortez Masto, Lujan, and Padilla voting NAY.
The Senate voted to invoke cloture on James O'Neill to be Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services. Cloture was invoked (51/46/3) with the 4 Senators of the CHC voting NAY.
The Senate voted to confirm the nomination of Michelle Bowman for a position on the Federal Reserve. The nomination was confirmed (48/46/6) with the 4 Senators of the CHC voting NAY.
The Senate voted to confirm the nomination of Edward Walsh for Ambassador of Ireland. The nomination was confirmed (57/38/5) with the 4 Senators of the CHC voting NAY.
Thursday, June 5
The House voted to pass H.R. 2931 — The Save SBA From Sanctuary Cities Act. The bill was passed (211/199/22) with most of the CHC voting NAY. Rep. Cuellar and Gluesenkamp Perez voted AYE. Rep. Gomez did not vote.
The House voted to pass H.R. 2987 — the CEASE Act (This bill limits the number of for-profit small business lending companies that are authorized make 7(a) loans to not more than 16 at any time.). The bill passed (214/198/20) with most of the CHC voting NAY. Rep. Cuellar and Gluesenkamp Perez voted AYE. Rep. Gomez did not vote.
The House voted to pass H.R. 2966 — the American Entrepreneurs First Act (a racist bill that prohibits most immigrants from obtaining 7(a) loans.) The bill was passed (217/190/25) with most of the CHC voting NAY. Rep. Cuellar and Gluesenkamp Perez voted AYE.
The Senate voted to confirm the nomination of James O'Neill to be Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services. The nomination was confirmed (52/43/5) with Sens. Cortez Masto and Gallego voting NAY. Sens. Lujan and Padilla did not vote.
The Senate voted to invoke cloture on John Andrew Eisenberg to be an Assistant Attorney General. Cloture was invoked (52/43/5) with Sens. Cortez Masto and Gallego voting NAY. Sens. Lujan and Padilla did not vote.
The Senate voted to confirm the nomination of John Andrew Eisenberg to be an Assistant Attorney General. The nomination was confirmed (52/43/5) with Sens. Cortez Masto and Gallego voting NAY. Sens. Lujan and Padilla did not vote.
The Senate voted to invoke cloture on Brett Shumate to be an Assistant Attorney General. Cloture was invoked (49/40/11) with with Sens. Cortez Masto and Gallego voting NAY. Sens. Lujan and Padilla did not vote.
The Senate is adjourned until Monday, June 9th.
Rep. Joaquin Castro and his twin brother Julian were once the next big thing in Texas Democratic circles. The pair never jumped into a statewide race which diminished their luster slightly. Certainly, they are still influential — especially in the San Antonio metropolitan area. However, the focus on being the potential savior of Texas has shifted to State Rep. James Talarico, Rep. Jasmine Crockett, and others. Rep. Joaquin Castro will continue serving diligently in the House of Representatives while Julian will continue to work behind the scenes back in Texas.
The CHC Roundup is a diary series meant to highlight the contributions of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus to the Democratic Party. These 43 members of Congress range from members of the Squad to the most conservative members of the party. The series will run every Saturday morning, at 8:00AM.
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