Matthew McConaughey Considering Run For TX Governor

Actors in politics are an odd mix. Many actors like to throw their hats in the political ring, and a few have achieved some degree of success. Most famously, of course, is President Ronald Reagan. He’s not the only one. Arnold Swarzenegger was also governor of California. Most, however, are just contented to sit on Twitter these days and tell everyone what to think.

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However, another actor appears to be considering a run for office at some point in the future, and that’s Matthew McConaughey.

Actor Matthew McConaughey made news this week by indicating during an interview that he was open to the possibility of running for political office in Texas one day in the future.

News that McConaughey could be interested in running for office came out during an interview that he had with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt.

The two had the following interaction:

HEWITT: … you’re kind of center-right in the view of people, you could be governor of Texas. Are you ever going to run for anything?

MCCONAUGHEY: I don’t know. I mean, that wouldn’t be up to me. It would be up to the people more than it would me. I would say this. Look, politics seems to be a broken business to me right now. And when politics redefines its purpose, I could be a hell of a lot more interested.

Now, Hewitt referring to McConaughey as “center-right” may make it seem like this wouldn’t be too bad of a thing. Plus, a center-right actor is still pretty right-wing for Hollywood. Who knows, it might lead others on the right to consider careers in Tinsel Town and shift that industry a little closer toward the center.

However, there’s a problem.

While McConaughey might be center-right in a lot of ways, there’s a bit of baggage that isn’t likely to play well with folks on the right.

Sounding like Beto O’Rourke, McConaughey said at a rally for the anti-gun March For Our Lives group in Austin, Texas, that law-abiding gun owners needed to “take one for the team” and give up some of their gun rights, including the ability to own semi-automatic long guns and magazines that have the ability to carry certain amounts of ammunition.

“One, let’s ban the assault weapons for civilians. This is a no-brainer,” he said. “And to my friends out there, that are responsible owners of these assault weapons that they use for recreation, please let’s take one for the team and set it down.”

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Except, that wouldn’t be taking one for the team. It would be taking one for the other team.

Yes, politics is a team sport, for better or worse. I’m not remotely interested in setting down my AR-15 just so the anti-gunners can get a win, especially since I don’t believe the answer to mass shootings is gun control. It never has been and never will be.

That’s likely to be a millstone around candidate McConaughey’s neck should he try to run for office in Texas, as it should be. If he wants to consider this, he needs to back off on that one big time. Especially since it’s not a “no-brainer” by any stretch of the imagination.

Am I telling McConaughey not to stand for what he believes?

Nah. I’m just telling him to take one for the team.

 

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