A viral video showing a stage festooned with American flag bunting and signs reading ‘McConaughey for governor’ sent Matthew McConaughey fans into frenzied speculation that he could be seeking public office.
In the TikTok video, a stage in an Austin field was flanked by Lone Star State flags and what looked to be campaign placards bearing the actor’s name and visage.
‘Is the real life, y’all? Is Matthew McConaughey actually running for governor of Texas? This is crazy. This is in Austin right now,’ the woman recording the footage can be heard saying.
On top of the optics, the timing also added fuel to the fire as the state’s current Republican governor, Greg Abbott, announced he’s running for his fourth term less than a week ago.
Last month, Democratic legislator Gina Hinojosa started her own candidacy for governor.
McConaughey’s press contact did not immediately respond to Daily Mail’s request for comment; however, Parade Magazine reported that the elaborate stage was likely part of filming for Apple’s series ‘Brothers.’
Excitement about the beloved native Texan running for office isn’t far off, as the Oscar-winner has previously considered running for governor in 2021.
McConaughey most recently addressed a possible political career a month ago, telling People Magazine he hasn’t ruled out a run, but now is not the time.
‘It’s something I started looking into probably six years ago and something I’ve continued to study, what that arena is, what it would mean, how could I be useful in it, would I be useful in it,’ he told the magazine.
The Academy Award winner has never said whether he’d run as a Democrat, Republican or Independent.
However, Texas is a deep red state, and the last Democrat to be elected to state-wide office was former Governor Ann Richards, who served from 1990 to 1995.
A Uvalde native, McConaughey was invited to the White House during the presidency of the former President. Joe Biden’s administration after a mass shooting in his hometown when 19 children and two teachers were gunned down at Robb Elementary School in May 2022.
In a rare move, the actor was permitted to stand behind the podium during the White House press briefing, where he gave an impassioned plea for gun reform, tearing up as he spoke about the victims of the massacre.
For now, the actor who lives in Austin is frequently a fixture at the University of Texas at Austin football games. He told People his focus is on raising his kids: Levi, 17; Vida, 15; and Livingston, 12.
‘So let me do what I can with Camila to get these three kids out of the house as healthy individuals, as much as I can make that possible,” McConaughey told the publication last month.
‘And then opportunities or choices I can make—I’ll be much more free to make choices that won’t have the same consequences they may have now.
‘Because if I did that now, I wouldn’t be able to be the father and spend the time with the family the way that I have so far, and it’s something I’m not ready to sacrifice.’
Matthew McConaughey is an actor, and he should remain in that lane, but as he said, he’s a father and he wants to spend time with his family – he made that perfectly clear.
He’s an actor, not a politician, and we don’t need some actor pretending they know what they’re doing – it’s not a good idea, although Governor McConaughey does have a nice ring to it.
He’s a fantastic actor, there’s no questioning that, but that’s where he needs to stay – we don’t need another Hollywood oddball in politics.
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