Matthew McConaughey for governor? Why not? There’s just one problem: Texas politics
In Hollywood and in politics, it’s useful to build anticipation for a big debut. And Matthew McConaughey may be doing just that.
The Academy Award-winner who grew up in Longview is again fueling speculation he’ll run for governor of Texas. “Am I considering that? Sure,” McConaughey told NBC’s Al Roker last week. “I want to get into a leadership role in the next chapter of my life. Now, what role am I going to be most useful in?”
There could be a real opening for McConaughey here. Plenty of Texas voters would welcome Contact from a centrist who recognizes our politics is a “broken business” that needs to “redefine its purpose.”
The actor may be hinting that he sees an opportunity in Gov. Greg Abbott’s decision to lift the state’s mask mandate, which McConaughey said left him “dumbfounded.” If you’re in the narrative business, it’s the kind of inflection point that can take a script in a new direction.
It’ll take a True Detective to figure out if McConaughey is serious, but Texas politics could use a new storyline. Republicans are sure to write another chapter in their decades-long winning franchise — push to the right in the primaries and win in the fall, when the other choices seem unwatchable.
Democrats need yet another studio overhaul and, most of all, a star to lead the way. Many believe Beto O’Rourke could fill the role, but after his last project failed at an Ishtar level, an untested lead may be worth the risk.
Texas has seen its share of celebrity flirtations with public office, most recently when singer/author/comedian Kinky Friedman ran for governor in 2006 and later for agriculture commissioner. Cyclist Lance Armstrong seemed to have potential to inspire voters with his story until that story, uh, changed.
But don’t let that history leave you Dazed and Confused. It’s become a cliche, but if a real estate mogul-turned-reality TV star can get elected president, anything’s possible.
McConaughey hinted at a transition for himself, telling a Houston podcaster that “I have some things to teach and share, and what is my role? What’s my category in my next chapter of life that I’m going into?” In doing so, he echoed the most famous actor-turned-politician, Ronald Reagan, who used a line from his best film performance as the title of his autobiography: “Where’s the Rest of Me?”
For a Hollywood mainstay with extensive connections in the entertainment and corporate worlds, not to mention fans around the country, funding a campaign wouldn’t be a problem. McConaughey wouldn’t have to be beholden to a small number of big-dollar donors; no Dallas Buyer’s Club here. And being distractingly handsome is as beneficial in politics as it is in most human endeavors.
The problem for McConaughey is this: The very qualities that make a run for governor possible would hurt him in the primaries. Voters who decide party nominations are often sticklers of ideological purity.
Perhaps Democrats, hungry for victory, would look past some moderate stances, but the moment McConaughey (or anyone) declares membership in a party, he acquires that group’s opponents in our tribalized politics. He has hit both ends of the political spectrum for their extremes, and both would surely hit back.
Opponents will also plumb the Hollywood lifestyle for scandal, and they’ll question whether an actor is up for the job. McConaughey can’t expect to encounter The Gentlemen if he runs.
An independent candidacy is possible, but there are huge hurdles to getting on the ballot in Texas. Candidates have to mount a huge signature drive in a short span after the primaries, and there are restrictions on who can sign. Friedman and former Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn managed the feat in 2006, but it can be a real Failure to Launch.
Politics is a real grind, and only McConaughey can decide if he’s ready to risk his Serenity for it. But if he jumps in, we think it would be …
Wait for it …
All right, all right, all right.
