Matthew McConaughey on social media: “I’m not running for governor of Texas”

After having toyed with the idea of ​​a possible descent into politics for months, Matthew McConaughey chooses social media to announce that he does not intend to run for governor of Texas. The actor, made famous by “Dazed and Confused” and Oscar winner for “Dallas Buyers Club”, explained that the eventual nomination “is an inspiring and humble step, which at the moment I have chosen not to take” , as he said in the video posted last night. “As a simple kid born in the small town of Uvald, Texas, it never occurred to me that I might someday consider a position of political leadership,” said the 52-year-old actor in the video – already in a sense already official with the background. of the American and Texan flag – which arrives two weeks before the deadline, next December 13, for the presentation of the candidacies in view of the primary next March. This decision seems set to remove a possible obstacle for Beto O’Rourke, the former Democratic congressman, candidate for the Senate and then for the White House, who announced his candidacy against Republican governor Greg Abbott. It was the same actor – who lives with his family in Austin where he has been teaching at the Faculty of Communication from Ut – Austin in recent months to publicly discuss the possibility of his candidacy for governor of his state. In an interview last month with NPR, to the answer if he would be a candidate he replied in a cryptic way: “I am not applying as long as I apply”. The actor, who describes himself as a “philosopher, statesman poet”, had not given not even any indications as to which party he would choose, and he had also avoided taking positions on the most important issues of Texas politics, including the controversial abortion law. In recent weeks he had also discussed his position against the Covid vaccination of children and the announcement that he would not vaccinate his two youngest children. It was precisely this vague political profile, the experts point out, that could have favored him in the event of his possible candidacy as an independent. “Traditional politicians criticize him for not the fact that he does not say what his position is – says the Texan political consultant Keir Murray – but for a true outsider candidate it is an advantage, it is like a blank canvas on which to paint the candidacy, unlike Beto, who instead is linked to his known positions “. The polls also seem to confirm this reading: according to a survey made in October by the University of Texas at Austin, 35% of voters say they are very in favor of the actor’s candidacy and 24% quite favorable.