Could Matthew McConaughey one day be governor of Texas?
As I wrote last month, the prospect brings with it two positives:
- He doesn’t seem like a nut.
- I don’t think he would make politics worse.
Those may seem insubstantial, but I believe a quick perusal of the last half-decade’s political goings-on emphasizes just how significant they truly are.
RedState’s Brandon Morse also recently posed the possibility, pointing out, “He could be entering as an Independent or even a Libertarian, which may be the wiser choice in the still-red state of Texas. … [W]hile he did make a few nods and agreements with the Democrat party side of things (in his book Greenlights), his recent forays into the news cycle show that he’s not a fan of the left’s illiberality, and seems to understand very well why conservatives and fans of Hollywood at all.”
Brandon’s verdict: A win would be “very likely.”
“For someone like McConaughey, the iron has never been hotter, and striking it is a no-brainer.”
Well, now a poll bolsters the notion.
A Dallas Morning News and University of Texas at Tyler survey suggests 45% of Texans would support the Oscar winner, compared to only 33% favoring incumbent Republican Greg Abbott.
For party particulars, here’s The Dallas Morning News:
While Democrats broke 66% to 8% for McConaughey, and independents 44% to 28%, more than twice as many Democratic primary voters — 51% — said they wanted a progressive candidate for governor than wanted a centrist — 25%.
56% of Republicans said they’d go for Abbott, compared to 30% for Matthew.
But there’s certainly room for a centrist:
[20%] of GOP primary voters preferred a more centrist Republican, and 18% wanted someone more like former President Donald Trump. Fourteen percent preferred someone more conservative than Abbott, who has been avidly courting the right wing of his party in recent weeks after several staunch conservatives, including former state Sen. Don Huffines of Dallas, were mentioned as possible challengers to him in the primary.
Of course, no campaign’s been run, so it’s hard to say how the vote might actually land.
That said, Matthew’s earned a great bit of goodwill in his home state, and it’s easy to imagine it extending to many conservatives.
He’s a do-gooder known for his support of emergency services and the local community:
As for appeal to voters of faith, the star’s called out Hollywood’s anti-Christian bias:
“I have…had moments where I was on stage receiving an award in front of my peers in Hollywood, and there were people in the crowd that I have prayed with before dinners many times. And when I thanked God, I saw some of those people go to clap, but then notice that, ‘bad thing on my resume,’ and then sit back on their hands.”
He’s even appeared on the podcast of clinical psychologist Jordan Peterson, whose been pegged by left-wing writer Ta Nehisi Coates as a supervillain in Marvel’s new version of Captain America.
The point: He can’t be put in a one-dimensional, Democratic box.
Though his politics haven’t been clearly defined, perhaps a lot can be inferred by what he hasn’t said over the last year.
With the country in turmoil, McConaughey’s endorsed unity while not megaphoning the same ideas as many Hollywood peers.
And he’s spoken against the “illiberal Left.”
Particularly in our celebrity-centric world, it’s not difficult to imagine this guy winning an election:
In my estimation, a state could do far worse.
And, many times before — goodness knows — a state has.
-ALEX
See more pieces from me:
Advocates Speak out in Favor of Legalizing Consensual Incest
Christian College Sues the Biden Administration Over Joe’s Gender Identity Executive Order
Find all my RedState work here.
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