Matthew McConaughey has decided he will not run for governor of Texas in 2022, confirming the news Sunday afternoon in a video posted to his Instagram and Twitter.
The Oscar-winning actor had reportedly been considering challenging Republican incumbent Gov. Greg Abbott for the job. “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,” McConaughey said in the video. “It’s a humbling and inspiring path to ponder. It is also a path that I’m choosing not to take at this moment.”
The actor’s announcement comes just days after a Dallas Morning News and UT Austin poll showed him beating out both Abbott and declared Democratic candidate Beto O’Rourke. McConaughey first floated the idea of a run during a September appearance on the “Set It Straight: Myths and Legends” podcast. “I’m more of a folksy and philosopher-poet statesman than I am, per se, a definitive politician,” he said, musing that he would jump into the race primarily because “politics needs redefinition.”
