Democrat · Texas's 20th District · 2026
Joaquin Castro
Castro grew up on San Antonio's West Side with his twin brother, Julián, and a grandmother who worked multiple jobs to help raise them.
Biography
Joaquin Castro and his wife, Anna, welcomed their third child in 2022; in his year end report, he described showing their children the San Antonio of his childhood, from Ingram Park Mall to Fiesta.1 He grew up on the city's West Side with his twin brother, Julián, a community activist mother and a father who taught mathematics.2
After finishing high school a year early, Castro graduated from Stanford in 1996 and Harvard Law School in 2000.3 He returned to San Antonio, entered private legal practice and served five terms in the Texas House before his election to Congress in 2012.3
His community projects have included the Trailblazers College Tour, which raised money for students to visit colleges, and SA READS, a literacy campaign and book drive.3 He also established the Families Helping Families dinner and awards to recognize grandparents and other relatives raising children, and has taught at St. Mary's and Trinity universities.3
Castro serves on the House Foreign Affairs and Intelligence committees and advocates universal health care and immigration reform.2 He wants a special commission to investigate immigration enforcement, including deaths in custody, if Democrats win the House.2 He faces Republican Edgardo Rafael Baez while also campaigning to return his party to control of Congress.2
Record and controversies
Publication of Trump donor information
In August 2019, Castro posted the names, occupations and employers of 44 San Antonio area Trump donors, prompting a complaint over use of federal disclosure information.4 Castro argued that the post was political speech using public information, rather than commercial activity or fundraising solicitation.4 In November 2021, the FEC ultimately voted 6 to 0 to find no reason to believe he violated the federal donor information rule and closed the file.5