Julián Castro reaches 130,000 donors, surpassing one threshold for fall primary debates

Democratic presidential candidate Julián Castro announced Monday morning that he has amassed 130,000 donors, one of the requirements to make the primary debate stage this fall.

To qualify for the September and October debates, candidates must hit the 130,000-donor threshold and get 2% support in four polls. It is a higher bar than the national party set for the first two debates — in June and July — when candidates could be eligible by getting 65,000 contributors or 1% in three surveys.

Castro, the former U.S. housing secretary and San Antonio mayor, expressed confidence in a statement that more and more people were rallying behind him as he gets his message out.

To secure a spot in the fall debates, though, Castro still needs to meet the polling threshold. He's not there yet, usually registering 1% in most polls — except for one survey last week that had him bouncing up to 4% after a well-reviewed showing in the first debate.

The other Texan running for president, Beto O'Rourke, is expected to have an easier path to the fall debates. He got over 100,000 donors in the first 24 hours of his campaign and has been polling higher than Castro — though not much higher in recent surveys.