Julian Castro is out.

Today, Julian Castro became the first 2020 Democrat to actually drop out in 2020.

Castro had been stuck in the back of the polls, failed to qualify for the last few debates, and had recently accused Democrats in Iowa and New Hampshire of being a bunch of racists so the only people shocked by Castro’s withdrawal are people who haven’t checked the news since 2012.

2012 was when Castro keynoted the Democratic Convention and was declared to be the future of the party by the many of the same pundits who embraced Beto O’Rourke in 2018.  In 2012, many boldly predicted that 2016 would see the Democrats nominate a Clinton/Castro ticket.  Instead, Julian Castro ended up doing a few years as Secretary of HUD and Clinton picked an unimpressive white guy named Tim Kaine in 2016.

Would Clinton have done better in 2016 if she had selected Castro?  Maybe.  In theory, having Castro on the ticket would have improved Clinton’s chances of winning Texas, though I still think she would have fallen short in the state.  In the end, I think any Democrat would have been an improvement over Kaine.

Julian Castro’s 2016 campaign fell flat.  He did the country a favor by calling out Beto O’Rourke during the first debate and leaving the former Congressman exposed in all of his vapid glory.  But Castro was never able to pick up any momentum, suggesting that previous reports of his political talents were a case of wishful thinking on the part of Democrats who are always desperate to find someone who can turn Texas blue.

Castro will probably run for another office soon but, for 2020, he’s out.