Actor, author, and UT professor Matthew McConaughey announced Sunday night that he will not be entering the race for governor of Texas.
In a three-minute video posted on his Twitter and Instagram accounts, McConaughey stated, “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. 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 in his statement that, during the months he was considering running for governor, he spent time educating himself about politics and forming opinions.
“I’ve been listening; I’ve been learning, been measuring, been studying Texas politics and American politics. What have I learned? A lot. That we have some problems we need to fix. That our politics needs new purpose, that we have divides that need healing. That we need more trust in our lives. That we gotta start shining a light on our shared values, the ones that cross party lines, the ones that build bridges instead of burn them.”
McConaughey also commented on his idea of what it means to be a public servant, saying, “I’ve learned that freedom comes with responsibility, and that great leaders serve… [W]e lead by serving each other… Service is taking on responsibility today, so we can have more freedom tomorrow. Service is making the better choice for you and for me. Service is the investment we make in ourselves.”
McConaughey said of 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. Useful to myself, useful to my family, and to the most amount of people.”
Though polls had shown that McConaughey may have been well-received in the race, it would appear the actor has decided that the sector in which he could be most useful at this time is not in political office. McConaughey says that his focus, for now, will be investing in what he deems to be worthy projects.
“What am I gonna do? I’m going to continue to work and invest the bounty I have by supporting entrepreneurs, businesses, and foundations that I 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.”
He did not specify which entrepreneurs or organizations he plans to support moving forward. McConaughey additionally did not endorse another candidate for Texas governor.
