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Who is Julian Castro? He鈥檚 the mayor of San Antonio, Texas, and tonight鈥檚 keynote speaker at the Democratic National Convention, that鈥檚 who.

He鈥檒l be the first Hispanic to ever deliver the DNC keynote. Democrats think he鈥檚 popular enough to rise to Lone Star State governor, or even higher office. He鈥檚 got a compelling personal story 鈥� he was raised by a strong single mom who was herself politically active. He鈥檚 got an identical twin brother who represents San Antonio in the state legislature and is likely to be elected to Congress in November.

He鈥檚 young, only 37, and has risen fast. Sound like anyone else? Yes, that鈥檚 what we thought too 鈥� he鈥檚 the Democrats' answer to Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida. Except Senator Rubio鈥檚 not an identical twin.

Rubio did well for himself in Tampa, Fla., with a speech that some political analysts think may have set him apart from New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan, and other non-Romney party heavyweights. Mr. Castro鈥檚 not at Rubio鈥檚 level yet in the sense that nobody鈥檚 talking about him as a potential 2016 nominee. But in giving the San Antonio mayor the keynote speech, Democrats may be trying to broaden their bench of nationally known figures, while attempting to woo the Hispanic vote. A twofer.

Castro's father and mother split up when he was eight. He and twin sibling Joaquin were raised by their mom, Maria 鈥淩osie鈥� Castro, who was an organizer in the Texas Mexican-American community in the 1970s. Her activities drew hate mail and even the interest of the Justice Department.

But today Castro says it was his mom and others like her who broke barriers, allowing Hispanics like him to have a political future.

鈥淚t was very warranted at that time,鈥� he told the Associated Press. 鈥淵ou had a huge dropout rate. You had signs that said, 鈥楴o Mexicans or dogs allowed.鈥� It was a movement born out of both aspiration and frustration, it was very understandable. And ultimately, I believe, [it] helped move this country forward.鈥�

His mom emphasized grades as well, paying for high marks. That paid off 鈥� Castro went to Stanford and Harvard Law. He鈥檚 the youngest person ever elected to the San Antonio City Council, where he won a seat in 2001. He lost a try for the mayor鈥檚 seat in 2005, then came back to win on his second try, in 2009. He was reelected in 2011.

He鈥檚 a nonpartisan office holder in a city manager form of government, notes the Dallas Morning News today in a good piece on his background. Castro 鈥渂rings a life of contrasts鈥� into his keynote address, writes the Dallas paper鈥檚 Robert T. Garrett. He鈥檚 a shy politician, a red state Democrat, and so on.

鈥淐astro is hyped as a future statewide or even national candidate despite his short resume. The mayor, though, has dug in to solve problems at the local level for most of a decade 鈥� and plans to stay there for a while,鈥� writes Mr. Garrett.

Republicans, though, say that they鈥檝e seen this movie before 鈥� in 2004, when the young and unknown Barack Obama got the chance to boost his national profile by delivering a DNC keynote.

Conservatives criticize the choice of Castro by saying he鈥檚 done little to actually merit an appearance hundreds of more experienced politicians would love to make.

鈥淚t is kind of creepy to see just how many hurrahs and hosannas a politician [can] generate without actually doing much of anything, particularly on bread-and-butter issues like crime and education. If a Castro defender wants to argue he鈥檚 only been in office three years, fine ... but that just raises the question of why an unaccomplished mayor is giving the keynote address. It鈥檚 like watching the Obama playbook from 2004 all over again,鈥� writes the National Review鈥檚 Jim Geraghty in his The Campaign Spot blog.