For weeks, we've been anticipating a Texas U.S. Senate race between Senator John Cornyn and Representative Joaquín Castro in 2020.

Well, put away the placards, because Representative Castro is not doing it.  This is from NBC: 

Castro announced to Hearst Newspapers that he will not challenge the state's senior senator, John Cornyn, a Republican in his third term.  Castro said that if he did run again it would be for something that takes him back to Texas.

"Right now, I'm going to focus on my work in the House of Representatives.  I've been doing what I feel is important and meaningful work here," Castro told The Express-News.

Castro is the twin brother of Julián Castro, who is seeking the Democratic 2020 presidential nomination, and Joaquín is his brother's campaign chairman.  Julián Castro had predicted a more compelling election in Texas and a swell of interest in the primary if he and his brother were both on the ballot.

Joaquín Castro is a member of the House Intelligence Committee, one of the key committees investigating Russian influence in the 2016 election and the Trump 2016 campaign and administration.

Joaquín and Julián Castro in 2018 at the LBJ Library (photo credit: Lauren Gerson).

OK.  So he would rather come back to Texas?

Or maybe he is expecting his brother to win the presidential election and be the first set of twins in the Cabinet?

Or maybe he thinks 2020 won't be 2018.

My guess is that he knows he can't win or defeat Senator Cornyn, especially with President Trump on the ticket.

Twenty-eighteen was a perfect storm for the Democrats in Texas.  They were united in their hatred of Trump, and $80 million came in to defeat Senator Cruz.  The money was primarily used to register people and get them out to vote. 

It worked, as we saw on election night.  However, Joaquín Castro's decision is an indication that Democrats do not think Texas is turning purple anytime soon.

Who runs against Senator Cornyn?  I'd love to see Robert O'Rourke, so he can lose again.

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