Democrats Preparing For Big Week In South Florida, Including First Primary Debates
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Former San Antonio Mayor and HUD Secretary Julián Castro spoke in Miami Sunday ahead of the democratic primary debates.
"I'm looking forward to Wednesday night. For me, this is an opportunity for me to introduce myself," Castro said.
Polls show the presidential hopeful is roughly ten spots behind his opponents. He hopes for a boost while in Miami for a week.
"Hispanics turned out in a greater rate than in 2014. I expect that in 2020, they're going to turn out in a greater rate than 2016," Castro said.
The latest poll shows former Vice President Joe Biden in the lead to be the nominee. Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren is second. That's followed by Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, who was in South Carolina for a rally.
"Ask ourselves whether it is moral and whether it is right that in America today, three people own more wealth than the bottom half of America," he said.
South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg returned to his home for a town hall about race relations. Residents were upset after police shot and killed a black man, officers say, was breaking into cars and armed with a knife.
"It's disrespectful that I have three boys that I have to teach today what to do," one woman said.
"To do something racist in a way that is substantiated, that is their last day on the street," the mayor responded.
It's already a crowded race. Only 20 candidates will debate this week. That didn't stop former Pennsylvania Congressman Joe Sestak from announcing a run Sunday becoming the 25th democratic candidate.
Around the same time of that announcement, Senators Kamala Harris and Corey Booker were expressing their concerns over Biden refusing to apologize from previous comments. Biden said during his time in senate, they "got things done" while working with segregationists.
"I heard from many African Americans who found the comments hurtful," Booker said.
"Choose our worlds carefully understanding the significance and power of our words," Harris said.
Biden previously said his words were taken out of context. Sunday the former VP tweeted about his concerns over the trump administration's handling of children at migrant facilities.
Former Texas Congressman Beto O'Rourke says he will visit the Homestead facility after the debates. The debates are scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday. There will be ten candidates a night.