Savannah Hulsey Pointer, FISM News
Award-winning actor and Texas native Matthew McConoughey announced on Sunday that he would not be running for governor of Texas in the upcoming election.
McConaughey posted a video to his Instagram account, saying that “elected office was a “path that I’m choosing not to take at this moment” while also saying that he will continue to attempt to serve those from his home state in other ways, The Hollywood Reporter stated.
In the video, which lasted about three minutes, McConaughey said that he had indeed “been considering a run for the governor of Texas” and had been out “listening and been learning, been measuring and studying Texas politics and American politics” in an effort to understand the issues. He talked about his desire to serve and be responsible in dealing with problems on a local and national level.
“As a simple kid born in the little town of Uvalde, Texas, it never occurred to me that I would one day be considered for political leadership. It’s a humbling and inspiring path to ponder. It is also a path that I’m choosing not to take at this moment,” McConaughey said.
The University of Texas Professor of Practice began to investigate the possibility of running for office during the height of the coronavirus pandemic after what appeared to be frustration over how political leadership was dealing with the problems the virus brought.
While Texans might have been hoping to find their very own Ronald Reagan in the actor, there are no doubt some in the state capitol building that have sighed with relief at the news, as political experts have stated they believed the potential candidate had a solid chance at winning the governor’s mansion:
“Traditional political folks will criticize him by saying that nobody knows where he stands,” Texas political consultant Keir Murray told THR in October. “But for a true outsider candidate, it’s actually advantageous. It’s a blank canvas to paint a candidacy, and it’s harder to be defined out of the gate — unlike Beto, who has a record of his positions.”
Just days ago a poll from the Dallas Morning News indicated that McConaughey would have beat Republican incumbent Gov. Greg Abbott by a solid eight points in a one-on-one matchup. The same poll showed that he would also likely also beat out Democrat hopeful candidate Beto O’Rourke.
Currently, McConaughey is continuing to give back to his community through his foundation, Just Keep Livin’, which targets the needs of underprivileged high school students.