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Julian Castro: I’m not being vetted for vice president

Garcia has thrown her support behind presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and says Trump already is a large focus of this convention, criticizing his comments on immigration and other issues. “Are you ready to elect Hillary Clinton as the first woman president of the United States?”

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Castro deflected questions Friday while in his hometown of San Antonio about whether he would accept an invitation from Clinton to become her vice presidential running mate.

Still, Trump affords Texas Democrats a catalyst for optimism – unfounded or not – and they appeared overwhelmingly optimistic at the blue-themed convention, where a Mariachi band took the stage before headlining speakers.

“We need an electoral process that is worthy of the Democratic Party”, Sanders said.

“I am very confident that she’ll make a prudent, great selection for vice president”, the HUD Secretary said.

In a speech streamed live, the Vermont senator called on Democrats to recruit new leadership for the party, eliminate super delegates and open up primaries to independents.

Castro, appointed to be the secretary of Housing and Urban Development in 2014, is returning home to San Antonio, where he previously served as mayor, on Friday.

Meeting rooms full of attendees holding bright blue Bernie Sanders signs seemed to indicate that the Democratic Party here still has work to do if it hopes to present a unified anti-Trump force in November.

“Donald Trump’s message to the Latino community is clear: “You are not American”, Castro said in a statement distributed by Clinton’s campaign that also went after Trump’s stance on the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community”.

“And he has a shirt on and a bird on his shoulder”, she said.

“People are just angry”, Garcia said.

State Sen. Sylvia Garcia of Houston, who represents District 6, is at the convention to give a keynote address.

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Seven out of the 13 have pledged their support to Clinton, three have pledged to Sanders, and three have not revealed their choice.

Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro takes part in a news conference at the Texas Democratic Convention Friday