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Matthew McConaughey Still ‘Measuring’ Texas Gubernatorial Run

   DailyWire.com
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 20: Matthew McConaughey launched an off-grid cabin he co-designed with Wild Turkey's charity initiative, With Thanks, at The Royal Botanic Gardens November 20, 2019 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by
Brendon Thorne/Getty Images for Wild Turkey

Actor Matthew McConaughey says he is still “measuring” a potential gubernatorial run in Texas next year, according to new reports.

“Look, it’s going to be in some capacity. … I just — I’m more of a folksy and philosopher-poet statesman than I am a, per se, definitive politician,” McConaughey said on the “Set‌ ‌it‌ ‌Straight:‌ ‌Myths‌ ‌and‌ ‌Legends” podcast Tuesday, according to The Hill. “So I go, well, that’s a reason not to, but then I go, no, that’s exactly why you should, because politics needs redefinition, but I’m measuring, you know, what is my category? What’s my embassy?”

A recent poll shows the actor doing better than Democrat Beto O’Rourke against current Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, beating Abbott 44-35%, according to the Dallas Morning News.

On the podcast, the hosts urged McConaughey — who has not declared a party affiliation but has sided often with Democrats, including on issues like gun control — to make a run.

“I have to remain an artist,” he said, the Hill reported. “I’ve earned my right to enjoy that Saturday night part of life, that music part of life. It has to have music to it. You know what I mean. I’m very good at being diligent, Monday morning, practical, structure, I’m all of that. But I gotta’ continue to be an artist in what I do.”

“Now if that’s the category to be able to do that in, which would be different than, I think, some people have done it up to now, maybe it’s for me. But maybe it’s also in a whole new category that I just create, and we’ll see,” he added.

The 51-year-old Oscar winner, a Texas native, has quietly been feeding the rumors, telling radio host Hugh Hewitt in April that “it would be up to the people more than it would me” whether he runs.

McConaughey made news last year when he slammed the “illiberal left” for acting “arrogant” toward conservatives and cutting off any chance of dialogue by throwing insults.

In an interview with English comedian Russell Brand for an episode of Brand’s podcast “Under the Skin,” McConaughey focused on trying to get people across the political aisle to move to the center. He took shots at the Right, as well, saying they believed in “fake news.” He said that the “far-Left” has driven people on the Right away.

“Look, on the other side, on the far Left … there is a lot on that illiberal Left that absolutely condescend, patronize, or are arrogant towards that other 50%. Many people who are in – I’m sure you saw it – in our industry when Trump was voted in four years ago, they were in denial that it was real, and some of them were in absolute denial.”

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