WASHINGTON – Marking a first for Hispanics, the Democratic party has chosen the mayor of San Antonio to deliver the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention.

The party announced Tuesday that Mayor Julian Castro will deliver the high-profile, prime-time address on the convention’s opening night, Sept. 4., in Charlotte, N.C.

Castro, 37, is the youngest mayor of a major U.S. city and the first Hispanic selected to deliver the keynote address at the Democratic convention.

President Barack Obama is banking on Hispanic support in battleground states like Florida, Colorado and Nevada as he seeks to break away from Republican rival Mitt Romney. The race remains deadlocked less than four months before Election Day, though polls show Obama with a sizable lead over Romney among Hispanic voters.

Associated Press