New Hampshire Primary Source gives you breaking and behind-the-scenes news and analysis on all things political in the Granite State. John DiStaso is the most experienced political writer in the state and has been writing a weekly column since 1982.To sign up for WMUR's new weekly New Hampshire Primary Source and political email newsletter, click here.CASTRO PROMISES TO FOCUS ON NH. Democratic presidential candidate Julian Castro's home state of Texas, as well as California and several other states have moved up their primaries to early March, and in California’s case, early voting will allow ballots to be cast while New Hampshire’s primary campaign draws to a close.“New Hampshire and Iowa are still tremendously important,” he told New Hampshire Primary Source in an interview Wednesday. “I intend to be here a lot to make my case to the voters. Of course, knowing that California and Texas are going to vote on Super Tuesday, I’m going to spend a good amount of time in my home state and in California. I can’t ignore that, and I look forward to doing it.“But just given the calendar, New Hampshire is still going to be tremendously important.”Castro sat down with New Hampshire Primary Source as he wrapped up a full day of campaigning, just four days after announcing his candidacy in his home city of San Antonio, Texas. Experienced local Democratic operatives who attended one or more of his presentations in Somersworth, Manchester and Laconia on Tuesday night and Wednesday gave Castro high marks and viewed his visit as highly successful.Castro said that as a person of Latino heritage, he wishes the early voting states of Iowa and New Hampshire had more diverse populations.But he said in the interview he doesn’t consider the relative lack of diversity in those two states to be a drawback for him or for potential candidates of color, such as Sens. Corey Booker and Kamala Harris.Castro made the initial comment about diversity while speaking to reporters following his morning speech to a Politics and Eggs breakfast at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics. He followed up by saying that he realizes, however, that Granite Staters and Iowans “take politics and policy very seriously, and that these are relatively small states as far as states go, so that you can actually meet people one-on-one."You can see the comments on WMUR political director Adam Sexton’s tweet here.Elaborating during an interview later, the former federal housing secretary and San Antonio mayor said he doesn’t want to convey that he’s at a disadvantage, however.“You’ve seen candidates of different backgrounds who have been able to compete here and in Iowa,” he said, citing former President Barack Obama, who finished a close second to Hillary Clinton in the 2008 primary and won the state in the general elections of 2008 and 2012.“So, I expect to compete in every state, including New Hampshire.”Castro, who’s 44, may find himself in a field with some candidates who are much older, such as Joe Biden, who’s 76; Bernie Sanders, 77, and Michael Bloomberg, 76. Declared candidate Elizabeth Warren is 69.“You always need a good mix of people with a lot of experience and people who bring a fresh face, fresh energy to the process,” he said. “When I get out into the country, I do hear that people are ready for a new generation of leadership, and so whatever happens in this campaign, I’m convinced that people who represent a new generation of leadership will be very competitive.”He is also competing against Warren, who’s from neighboring Massachusetts, and may compete against Sanders, who is from neighboring Vermont and has a strong network of supporters remaining in New Hampshire from his landslide 2016 New Hampshire primary win.“I know New Hampshire is going to be very competitive, and you’re going to have candidates who have established political infrastructures here and represent states right next to New Hampshire,” Castro said. “That means that I’m going to spend a lot of time here. I’m going to get out to every single part of the state and articulate my strong, positive vision for the future. I’m confident I can gain support in New Hampshire because I’m going to give people something to believe in, not just something to be against.”Castro cited his experience heading an 8,000-employee federal agency, the U.S. Housing Department of Urban Development, and as mayor of a city of 1.5 million people. “I know I’m going to be competing again some people who have less experience than I do and some people perhaps who may have more. I’m just going to go and make my case to the voters.”He said that as a mayor, he has hands-on experience in pushing initiatives through to fruition.“Being a mayor was very focused on meeting the needs of people at a basic level,” he said. “Police services, fire services, streets and drainage and those things that are very near and dear to people, so anybody who has served as a mayor knows that you’re judged in a very concrete way on whether you produce results. It’s strong legislation and also good politics, understanding how to try and force a compromise and bring people together.”Castro said that congressional Democrats, at odds with President Donald Trump over a border wall and a government shutdown, “need to remind people why it is that they’re standing firm, which is because a border wall would not be effective.”“It would fundamentally change the nature of America. We’re the country of the Statue of Liberty, which welcomes everyone, not a country of a wall that separates us from everybody else. They need to talk about the values behind their position.”Castro said that cities along the southern border are among the safest in the nation.“The fear and paranoia that this president is stoking around the border is not grounded in reality,” he said. “We need to ensure that we always have strong border security and enforcement, but we can do that in a better way than to build a wall. We can invest in more personnel, invest in more technology and we can also humanely deal with 10 million to 11 million people who are here who are undocumented.”Castro’s identical twin, U.S. Rep. Joquin Castro, chairs Julian’s campaign but could not under the law be a member of his administration.“I expect that if I’m elected, he’ll be my biggest adviser and biggest cheerleader,” he said. “I know that I wouldn’t be where I am without him. If I’m elected I expect he’s going to play a very strong role in advising me on how to deal with Congress, to be effective with Congress and just giving me his honest opinion.”WHERE’S BETO? Former U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke of Texas remains the hot topic of presidential discussion in Democratic circles these days, but he has made no overt moves toward a run. Click here.IS HE RUNNING? The word from U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton’s camp is that he will visit New Hampshire on Feb. 2, officially to talk about the new Democratic majority in the U.S. House. New Hampshire Primary Source confirmed the visit Wednesday with Moulton’s team. Click here.CANDIDATE CONVERSATIONS. The local Democratic committee in the town of Raymond is getting actively involved in scheduling presidential candidates to speak with activists in western Rockingham County. Click here.FOREGOING EARNINGS. A spokesperson for U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas told us back on Jan. 3, just before Pappas was sworn in to office, that the new congressman would reject his congressional paycheck until there is an end to the federal government shutdown. Pappas's office has now clarified his position further. Click here.RUNNING AGAIN? It’s early – very early – but sources tell New Hampshire Primary Source that 2018 Republican congressional candidate Eddie Edwards is being urged to run again for the 1st District seat now held by Democrat Chris Pappas. And Edwards is privately considering it. Click here.SULLIVAN CONSIDERS MAYORAL RUN. Statewide political attention is already focused on next year’s first-in-the-nation presidential primary, but don’t forget – municipal elections are on tap for later this year. Click here.BLOOMBERG RETURNS. Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg will return to New Hampshire on Tuesday, Jan. 29, with details of public events expected soon. Click here.(John DiStaso can be reached at jdistaso@hearst.com or distasoj@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jdistaso and on Facebook: Facebook.com/JohnDiStasoWMUR.)