US actor Matthew McConaughey said on Sunday that he will not be running for governor of Texas "at the moment" after months of speculation about his entry into politics.
The prospect of a candidacy by the actor, 52, had packed some left-wing circles at odds with current Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, whose highly restrictive abortion law is being challenged in the States Supreme Court -United.
"It is an intimidating and inspiring path to reflect on"
"As a kid born in the small town of Uvalde, Texas, it never occurred to me that I could ever be considered as having political responsibility," the Oscar-winning actor said in a video uploaded.
“It's an intimidating and inspiring path to reflect on.
It is also a path that I choose not to take for the moment, ”he says again, while admitting that he clearly considered running for office.
🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/CKIYE7V6v6
- Matthew McConaughey (@McConaughey) November 29, 2021
Some polls have suggested that Matthew McConaughey would fare better against Greg Abbott than Democratic candidate Beto O'Rourke, a former Democratic presidential primary candidate.
Greg Abbott is seeking a third term with the ballot slated for November 2022. The deadline for nominations is December 13.
In early November, Matthew McConaughey hinted, during an interview at his home in Austin, that he might consider running for governor of Texas.
"It's a possible path," he said.
The center, "a daring niche, that of outlaws"
He had described himself as "aggressively centrist", adding: "not because it is the place of great compromise, but because it is the place to be in relation to the left and to the right.
It is a daring niche, that of the outlaws.
"
In the video released Sunday, Matthew McConaughey explains that his thinking about state and national politics has taught him that “we have problems that we need to fix;
that our political life must have a new purpose;
that we have fractures that do not heal ”.
Instead, he pledged to use his time to support businesses and foundations "that open the door for people to be successful in life."
