President Obama is scheduled to nominate Julian Castro, the mayor of San Antonio, as secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development on Friday afternoon, elevating the profile of one of the Democratic Party's brightest prospects. Indeed, there is much speculation that his new gig is part of an effort to bolster the 39-year-old's resume in case Hillary Clinton (or whoever wins the Democratic nomination) wants to put a Latino on the 2016 presidential ticket.
In any event, Castro's speedy climb to a position in Obama's cabinet is evidence that the Democratic Party is intent on solidifying and expanding its popularity with Latino voters, a crucial demographic that helped propel Obama to victory in 2008 and 2012. For more on Castro's background and political views, check out The Week's handy profile of him.
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