Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, has decided he will not run against Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, in 2018, The Washington Post reported.
Castro's decision to not seek the Democratic nomination to challenge Cruz, a Republican, clears the way for a likely Senate contest between Cruz and El Paso Rep. Beto O'Rourke, D-Texas.
Castro, 42, was viewed as a solid challenger to unseat Cruz in a Republican state – there has not been a Democrat who has won a statewide office in Texas since Bob Bullock was reelected governor in 1994. He is one of Texas' most popular Democrats, along with twin brother Julian Castro, the former secretary of housing and urban development in the Obama administration who is considering a run for president in 2020.
Castro told supporters in an email Monday, according to The Dallas Morning News, he had heard from Texans who "want a senator who will stand up for their families, not stand down to Donald Trump," but said he could "best continue that work by focusing" on his duties in the House.
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