Julián Castro, breakout star

He stood out at the Democrats' first debate. Here's why he can capitalize.

Julian Castro
(Image credit: Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

It will take a day or two before polling reveals the "winner" of Wednesday night's first Democratic presidential debate, but if early indications — Twitter trends, Google searches — are any indication, Julián Castro was probably the night's breakout star.

That probably shouldn't be a surprise. The former mayor and head of Housing and Urban Development has made immigration policy the centerpiece of his campaign, and the debate was held on a day that the humanitarian crisis on the border dominated the day's headlines, led by pictures of a father and daughter who drowned trying to cross the Rio Grande into the United States.

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Joel Mathis, The Week US

Joel Mathis is a freelance writer who has spent nine years as a syndicated columnist, co-writing the RedBlueAmerica column as the liberal half of a point-counterpoint duo. His work also regularly appears in National Geographic, The Kansas City Star and Heatmap News. His awards include best online commentary at the Online News Association and (twice) at the City and Regional Magazine Association.