Congressman Joaquin Castro announced on Monday that he would not seek the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Senator Ted Cruz. For months there had been speculation that Castro, a Democrat, could run against Cruz in 2018.

Castro took to Facebook according to POLITICO to lay out why he won't be running for Senate.

"Texans want a Senator who will stand up for their families, not stand down to Donald Trump," he wrote on Facebook and in an email to supporters. "I’ve kept my pledge to fight for hard-working Texans, and I’ll keep doing that. However, with the threats posed by Russia and North Korea, coupled with the reckless behavior of this Administration and their failure to invest in economic opportunity for the American people, at this time I believe I can best continue that work by focusing on my duties in the House Foreign Affairs and Intelligence Committees."

With Castro out of the race, that propels Congressman Beto O'Rourke's chances of facing Cruz in 2018. O'Rourke announced last month that he would run against Cruz and has already started campaigning and traveling the state. You can watch part of O'Rourke's thoughts on a border wall from a campaign stop he made in Lubbock this past Sunday below.

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