Matthew McConaughey Reveals If He’s Running For Governor Of Texas

Over the past few months, rumors have been swirling that actor Matthew McConaughey was preparing to run for governor of Texas. On Sunday, McConaughey finally revealed his decision when it comes to this potential gubernatorial run.

McConaughey Reveals If He’s Running

“Over the past two years, I’ve been working on the answer to the question of how I can be most useful in this life going forward,” McConaughey began in a video posted to Twitter. “Useful to myself, useful to my family and to the most amount of people.”

The Academy Award winner went on to say that while he was flattered by all the support that he received as he tried to make this decision, he ultimately decided not to run. 

“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,” he said. “It’s a humbling and inspiring path to ponder. It is also a path that I am choosing not to take at this moment.”

McConaughey said, “Our politics needs new purpose. We have divides that need healing. We need more trust in our lives. We got to start shining a light on our shared values, the ones that cross party lines, the ones that build bridges instead of burn them.”

He went on to say what he is going to do, “I’m going to continue to work and invest the bounty I have by supporting entrepreneurs, businesses and foundations that I’ve believe are leaders, establishments that I believe are creating pathways for people to succeed in life, organizations that have a mission to serve and build trust while also generating prosperity. That’s the American dream.” 

Related: Matthew McConaughey Calls Out Hollywood Leftists Who ‘Condescend’ To And ‘Patronize’ Working Americans

McConaughey Was A Frontrunner 

Fox News reported that this came after it was revealed that McConaughey was the frontrunner as a hypothetical candidate in the polls ahead of Governor Greg Abbott and Beto O’Rourke. 

“I’m measuring it,” McConaughey said in September, when asked if he would run. “Look, it’s going to be in some capacity…I just, I’m more a folksy and philosopher-poet statesman than I am a, per se, definitive politician. So I go, well that’s a reason not to, but then I go, no, that’s exactly why you should. Because politics needs redefinition, but I’m measuring ‘what is my category? What’s my embassy?’”

Political experts had been saying that McConaughey had a good chance of winning.

“Traditional political folks will criticize him by saying that nobody knows where he stands,” Texas political consultant Keir Murray told The Hollywood Reporter last month. “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.”

Related: Matthew McConaughey Opens Up About Possible Career In Politics

Drawbacks To Running For Office

However, Murray added that there would be potential drawbacks to McConaughey running for office. 

“He’s got a positive and favorable brand, but as soon as you dip your toe in the political pool people start to hate you,” Murray explained. “Does he want to change that brand and damage it? Because that’s inevitable.”

Given how contentious the world of politics is these days, it’s hard to blame McConaughey for deciding against a run for Governor of Texas.