Julián Castro Says He Will ‘Work My Butt Off’ to Qualify for Final 2019 Primary Debate

2020 presidential candidate Julián Castro spoke with MSNBC’s the Rev. Al Sharpton over the Thanksgiving weekend, expressing optimism he would qualify for the next debate.

“You’re not qualified for the next debate. What is your strategy? You have to qualify by December 11th in terms of polling and money raised by individual donors. What are you going to do to make it possible for you to be on that stage in the next debate?” Sharpton asked Castro on PoliticsNation Saturday.

“I’ll work my butt off between now and the next couple of weeks,” Castro responded. “I haven’t been afraid to speak up for those who often don’t have a voice, to fight for those who need fighting for, and to tackle subjects, whether it’s immigration or police reform, or a number of other issues that other candidates shy away from. Because that’s the kind of America that we need to build where everyone counts.”

Sharpton then asked Castro what he thought about Michael Bloomberg getting into the primary. “How do you respond to billionaires coming in with deep pockets that are going to choose to come in a little later than the process that you and some of the other candidates have already gone through?”

“It’s a free country, right?” Castro responded. “Everybody is entitled to run. At the same time, I don’t get the sense after having traveled the country for 11 months now, I don’t get the sense that what folks are looking for is a billionaire savior.”

Watch above, via MSNBC.

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