Matthew McConaughey rules out running for Texas governor

Actor Matthew McConaughey has said he is not running for Texas governor after months of publicly flirting with the idea of becoming the latest celebrity candidate (Willy Sanjuan/AP)

Actor Matthew McConaughey has said he is not running for Texas governor after months of publicly flirting with the idea of becoming the latest celebrity candidate.

The Academy Award winner said in a video posted on Sunday night that political leadership was not a route he was choosing to take “at this moment”.

The 52-year-old said he would instead focus on supporting businesses and foundations that create pathways for others to succeed.

🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/CKIYE7V6v6

— Matthew McConaughey (@McConaughey) November 29, 2021

The Texas governor’s race is already shaping up to be one of the nation’s highest-profile contests in 2022.

Republican Governor Greg Abbott is seeking a third term and Democrat Beto O’Rourke, coming off failed bids for the US Senate and president, has announced he will enter the race.

Mr McConaughey had never said what party — if any — he would run under while acknowledging that he was mulling a run for governor in his home state.

Politicians? The good ones can help us to get to where we need to go, yeah

The star of films Dazed and Confused and Dallas Buyers Club had also shied away from going into policy specifics and positions on contentious issues in Texas.

“Politicians? The good ones can help us to get to where we need to go, yeah,” Mr McConaughey said in the video posted to Twitter.

“But let’s be clear, they can’t do anything for us unless we choose to do for ourselves.”

In California, former Olympian Caitlyn Jenner ran for governor this year in a failed Republican-led recall effort against Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom but gained little momentum.