CHARLOTTE—Even as a first-year Harvard Law student, Julian Castro's classmates—nearly 600 overachievers in their own right—pegged him as the guy who was going places.
In Harvard's class of 2000, one decade after a guy named Barack Obama graduated from Harvard, Castro was the first of six—including his twin brother Texas state Rep. Joaquin Castro—in his class to win elected office when he was elected mayor of San Antonio in 2009.
And on Tuesday, as Castro made his prime time address to a packed Time Warner Arena that hung on his every word, his law school pals—including at least a half dozen who travelled to the Queen City for his prime time address-- were busting with pride as one of their own made his debut as the Democratic party's next great, young hope.
"I think Julian is living what we hope our country is capable," said Bill Frisk, a Maryland state delegate and classmate of Castro's who travelled to Charlotte for the speech. "We hope that our country is a true meritocracy –that it's possible that the children of new immigrants can be graduates of Harvard Law school and share the stage with the First Lady."
Among close political watchers, Castro was tapped as a young Democrat to watch. At 37, he's the youngest mayor of an American city. And he's won accolades for his efforts for growing San Antonio's tech and clean energy sectors.
When he was up for reelection in 2011, he managed to win a whopping 82%. And while Texas is set to remain a solidly Red state for the near future, his law school buddies suggest that he could be the Democrat that breaks the Republicans stronghold on statewide office.
"I know he's committed to his current position as mayor of San Antonio, but certainly he has an unlimited horizon," said Darin Johnson, another Harvard classmate that travelled to Charlotte for the speech
Like Obama—who made his splash on the national political scene with his keynote address at the 2004 DNC in Boston—Castro dedicated much of his time telling his unlikely narrative,
He was the child of a civil rights activist and single mother, Rosie, that inspired him and his brother to life in public service. His grandmother, Victoria, an orphan at age 6 in Mexico who resettled in San Antonio and earned a living cleaning houses. He paid tribute in his DNC address on Tuesday to his mother who "fought hard for civil rights so that instead of a mop, I could hold this microphone."
Even his Harvard classmates on the other side of the aisle are impressed with his meteoric rise. Jay Webber, a GOP assemblyman from New Jersey who lived just a few doors away from Castro in the dorms at Harvard, said he was cheering for him.
"I am rooting for Julian—just not his candidate," Webber said.
In Harvard's class of 2000, one decade after a guy named Barack Obama graduated from Harvard, Castro was the first of six—including his twin brother Texas state Rep. Joaquin Castro—in his class to win elected office when he was elected mayor of San Antonio in 2009.
And on Tuesday, as Castro made his prime time address to a packed Time Warner Arena that hung on his every word, his law school pals—including at least a half dozen who travelled to the Queen City for his prime time address-- were busting with pride as one of their own made his debut as the Democratic party's next great, young hope.
"I think Julian is living what we hope our country is capable," said Bill Frisk, a Maryland state delegate and classmate of Castro's who travelled to Charlotte for the speech. "We hope that our country is a true meritocracy –that it's possible that the children of new immigrants can be graduates of Harvard Law school and share the stage with the First Lady."
Among close political watchers, Castro was tapped as a young Democrat to watch. At 37, he's the youngest mayor of an American city. And he's won accolades for his efforts for growing San Antonio's tech and clean energy sectors.
When he was up for reelection in 2011, he managed to win a whopping 82%. And while Texas is set to remain a solidly Red state for the near future, his law school buddies suggest that he could be the Democrat that breaks the Republicans stronghold on statewide office.
"I know he's committed to his current position as mayor of San Antonio, but certainly he has an unlimited horizon," said Darin Johnson, another Harvard classmate that travelled to Charlotte for the speech
Like Obama—who made his splash on the national political scene with his keynote address at the 2004 DNC in Boston—Castro dedicated much of his time telling his unlikely narrative,
He was the child of a civil rights activist and single mother, Rosie, that inspired him and his brother to life in public service. His grandmother, Victoria, an orphan at age 6 in Mexico who resettled in San Antonio and earned a living cleaning houses. He paid tribute in his DNC address on Tuesday to his mother who "fought hard for civil rights so that instead of a mop, I could hold this microphone."
Even his Harvard classmates on the other side of the aisle are impressed with his meteoric rise. Jay Webber, a GOP assemblyman from New Jersey who lived just a few doors away from Castro in the dorms at Harvard, said he was cheering for him.
"I am rooting for Julian—just not his candidate," Webber said.