Castro Campaign Press Release - Key Iowa Local Democratic Leaders Endorse Julián Castro

More leaders endorse Castro as he returns to Iowa

SAN ANTONIO, TX (November 23, 2019) – Key Iowa local Democratic leaders endorsed presidential candidate Julián Castro on Saturday during his return to the state.

The chair and vice chair of the Lee County Democrats, Mary Jo Riesberg and Vernon Windsor, respectively, and Des Moines community leader Nicholas Schnerre endorsed Castro, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary under President Obama and San Antonio Mayor.

The three endorsements are the latest this month for Castro who already announced 12 in Iowa, six in Nevada, nine in Texas including top legislative leaders, and 14 national endorsements this week including a third Democratic National Committee member and six current or former lawmakers from Texas, Arizona, New Mexico and Missouri.

Here's what some of Secretary Castro's new endorsers had to say:

Mary Jo Riesberg, Lee County Democrats Chair:
"Secretary Julián Castro is inviting us to all join in working to create a stronger America in which all of us may prosper. He is offering Democrats the opportunity to take back our purpose as the champions for the poor. To be the party of what is right and just. To be proud again that the American dream will be available for everyone to grasp, regardless of our origins, our parents, our language, our race, our ability, or who we love. We've always claimed that's the American dream, but we need a leader who can help us make it reality. We have that candidate in Julián Castro. I urge everyone to join me in supporting Secretary Castro to elevate these important and overlooked voices."

Vernon Windsor, Lee County Democrats Vice Chair:
"We need a president worthy of my Promised Land. I want a president who knows about hard times and what it means to struggle in life. Such a person will fight hard in a general election and won't take anything for granted. A sincere, authentic candidate will resonate with most voters. A president with a similar background to many regular citizens will push for policies grounded in reality that will improve the lives of most Americans, from the bottom on up."

Nicholas Schnerre, Des Moines Community Leader:
"Julián has always shown me that to him people will always come first. He has centered his campaign on uplifting marginalized voices, striving to end police brutality, decriminalizing migration/pushing for comprehensive immigration reform, fighting for LGBTQ+ equality/liberation and has always stood up for survivors of sexual abuse. As someone who has marched in the streets of Ferguson beside Black Lives Matter, protested Kavanaugh with survivors like myself, and witnessed the outcome of marginalized people being silenced; I'm ready to live in Julián Castro's America."