Julián Castro Drops Presidential Bid: ‘It Simply Isn’t Our Time’

Former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julián Castro is ending his bid for the presidency.

The announcement was released through a video on Twitter on Thursday, where the Democrat wrote, "It’s with profound gratitude to all of our supporters that I suspend my campaign for president today."

"I’m so proud of everything we’ve accomplished together," Castro added. "I’m going to keep fighting for an America where everyone counts—I hope you’ll join me in that fight.

Castro qualified for the Democratic presidential debate in October, but failed to meet the requirements to qualify for the November and December debates.

"I’ve determined that it simply isn’t our time," Castro says in the video.

Speaking in Spanish, Castro says at the end of the video, "One day we'll win!"

Check out the video below:

https://twitter.com/JulianCastro/status/1212738343588511747

Castro's announcement comes as some of his 2020 Democratic rivals announced major fundraising hauls in the fourth quarter of 2019.

There continue to be 14 Democrats still vying for the party's nomination to take on President Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election . Former Vice President Joe Biden is currently leading the pack, as of the latest poll , with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) trailing behind.