On video, with the American and Texan flags in the background, the actor, who for months had been cherishing the idea of a descent into politics, announces that it is a “step that inspires humility that at this moment I have decided not to take”
After having toyed with the idea of a possible descent into politics for months, Matthew McConaughey chooses the social networks to announce that it does not intend to apply to governor of Texas. The actor, made famous by “Dazed and Confused” and Oscar winner for “Dallas Buyers Club”, explained that the possible candidacy “it is a step that inspires and instills humility, 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 – in a certain 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 looks set to remove a possible obstacle to Beto O’Rourke, the former Democratic congressman, candidate for the Senate and then for the White House, who announced his candidacy against the Republican governor Greg Abbott. It was the same actor – who lives with his family in Austin where for some years he has taught at the Faculty of Communication at Ut – Austin, who in recent months began to publicly discuss the possibility of his candidacy for governor of his state. In an interview with NPR last month, when he answered if he would be a candidate he replied cryptically: “I am not applying as long as I apply”.
The actor, who describes himself as a “philosopher, statesman poet”, had not even given any indications on which party he would choose, and had also avoided taking positions on the most important issues of Texan 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 which 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 in favor.
Source-www.adnkronos.com