Now that Matthew McConaughey has gotten a taste of life as a memoirist and rued the stand-up comedian career that would’ve been were it not for COVID-19, the actor is currently setting his sights on a very different kind of role, one that could take him straight to the Governor’s Mansion.
During a conversation with CNBC on Tuesday from an Airstream trailer at his home in Austin, Texas, McConaughey said of his potential political bid, “I’m not teasing the idea or anything. I’m actually trying to look at the idea and give it serious consideration. I have a new chapter for myself, personally in my life. I believe it is in some sort of leadership role.” But while he knows that’s the direction he’s headed in, he added. “I don’t know what that role is. I don’t know my category. We’ve been talking about the ‘why’ of leadership and even, I would say, we need some more good leaders. And I’m not just talking about me. I’m talking about you out there, everyone out there, we need leadership.” Whatever role he does eventually take on, the actor said he just wants to do what’s to do what will help the most amount of people, including his family.
This is hardly the first time McConaughey has teased the possibility of a gubernatorial bid. Last week, during an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon to promote We’re Texas, the relief benefit concert the actor hosted on his YouTube channel, Fallon once again asked him about rumors he might run. “It’s come up a lot lately,” he said. “It’s something I’m giving consideration. Absolutely. What an honorable thing to even be able to consider.” But he shut down further questions, adding, “I’m no further than that right now, sir!”
As for what the platform of a Governor McConaughey might entail, that remains unclear as The Texas Tribune reported that he “hasn’t voted in a primary since at least 2012 and has never donated to a Texas or federal campaign.” However, while chatting with Russell Brand on his podcast Under the Skin, the actor did give a sneak peek of his personal politics, making the case for being “aggressively centrist” and blaming the “illiberal left” for our country’s current political divide.
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