Castro tries to pull a Beto with Trump counter-rally

Julián Castro hasn’t released his first-quarter fundraising numbers. He’s polling around 1 percent nationally and in early states. But he has a unique opportunity for a presidential primary breakout moment Wednesday, when he’ll hold a rally in his San Antonio hometown — the same day Donald Trump will be in Texas for fundraisers in Houston and San Antonio.

The split-screen moment worked wonders for former Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-Texas) in February, when he staged a counter-rally to Trump’s own MAGA rally in El Paso. Aside from the national media coverage of the dueling events, O’Rourke received a windfall of attention from Democrats for raising the president’s ire — Trump derided him as “a young man who’s got very little going for himself except he’s got a great first name.”

“Beto’s event in El Paso was certainly good for Beto — and he wasn’t even in the race yet — because it pitted him directly against the president,” said Harold Cook, a Texas Democratic consultant. “I just really can’t help but think that this has probably got to be a good tactical move for Castro.”

Following news late last month that the president was planning the Texas fundraisers, a Twitter user suggested Castro hold a rally “just to flex on [T]rump.” Castro took that advice, tweeting within hours an RSVP link for a San Antonio rally.

Trump’s latest trip to Texas won’t offer Castro the same spotlight it did O’Rourke. The president’s fundraisers are private events, and his stop in San Antonio will take place in the afternoon, before Castro’s Wednesday night rally.

Still, it’s a chance for Castro, the mayor of San Antonio for five years before serving as President Barack Obama’s Housing and Urban Development secretary, to protest Trump’s immigration policies on a big stage.

San Antonio is also where Trump’s 2020 campaign manager, Brad Parscale, built his web marketing business before joining Trump’s campaign in 2016.

Castro’s “People First” rally will come a week after he released an immigration plan of the same name. In January, Trump falsely claimed to reporters outside the White House that San Antonio had a border wall to help reduce its crime rate, though the city is roughly 150 miles north of the border and has no such structure.

“It’s a godsend for [Castro’s] campaign,” said Colin Strother, a Texas Democratic strategist who once advised Castro. “It’s the big-ticket attention-getter that he’s really been needing.”

Castro’s campaign did not respond to a request for comment.

Texas Democrats expect Castro’s event will capture the president’s attention.

“It would surprise me if the president didn’t say something about it,” Cook said. “He always strikes back any time somebody pokes him in the eye. And I don’t think when he does so it does anything to detract from his critic. What it ends up doing is elevating his critic.”

And in a race with 18 candidates and counting, a fight with Trump could instantly drive media coverage and provide a fundraising boost — both of which Castro needs.

Castro has said he hasn’t yet met the Democratic National Committee’s 65,000 donor requirement for the debates this summer. Between that and his low polling numbers, Castro is currently at risk of not meeting the criteria for making the stage.

“There’s a lot of people out there, a lot of people competing for cash and media coverage and tweets and volunteers, and it’s gonna be really important to break out,” Strother said. “This very well could be the catalyst that allows him to do so.”

A successful rally could serve as a springboard for Castro’s campaign since it segues into his CNN town hall Thursday night with Don Lemon. A widely praised performance by South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg at his CNN town hall last month gave him a significant boost: He raised $600,000 within the next 24 hours and finished the first quarter with a $7 million haul.

Gilberto Hinojosa, chairman of the Texas Democratic Party, said the past couple of weeks have probably been the best two weeks of Castro’s campaign — and the rally will only help. Hinojosa expects Castro to present a clear contrast between him and Trump when he takes the stage.

“What Secretary Castro is doing, he’s got a specific plan and it’s detailed and it’s the first time among the presidential candidates that you’ve seen such a detailed plan on probably one of the most talked about issues that Americans are facing today,” he said. “Instead of having a simply rah-rah issue to firm up your base like Mr. Trump has done, Secretary Castro is talking solutions that I think have a broad base of support among all Americans.”

Castro’s rally is not without risk: Turnout will invite comparisons to O’Rourke’s crowd size two months ago.

In an effort to generate interest, the campaign has sent texts to supporters and promoted the event heavily online. Castro himself promoted the rally in local interviews Tuesday night to spread awareness.

“I’m throwing an anti-Trump, People First rally to give him the welcome he deserves — an overwhelming showing of opposition,” said one campaign invitation. “I want Trump to know: When you come into our house and insult our immigrant brothers and sisters — the consequences will be dire.”