U.S. Senate confirms Julian Castro as housing secretary

The U.S. Senate on Wednesday confirmed the nomination of San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro to head the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The MexicanAmerican mayor, one of the Democratic Party’s rising stars, was confirmed by a vote of 7126.

Many see President Barack Obama’s decision to name Castro to the Cabinet post as a first step toward enabling the Texas politician to aspire to the Democratic vicepresidential nomination in 2016.

Castro, 39, has headed a muchheralded effort in the urban development of San Antonio.

The new federal housing secretary became known on the national level for his keynote address at the 2012 Democratic Convention, which reminded many of the future president’s speech at the 2004 convention, earning Castro the nickname of the “Hispanic Obama.”

Castro, whose twin brother Joaquin is a Democratic congressman from Texas, will take over at HUD from Shaun Donovan, who was nominated in May as head of the White House Office of Management and Budget.

Julian Castro will become the youngest member of Obama’s Cabinet.