Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said on July 11 that he’s taking actor Matthew McConaughey “very seriously” as a potential challenger for governor in the 2022 election.
Abbott, a Republican, is up for a third term and has already secured the endorsement of former President Donald Trump. Hollywood actor McConaughey isn’t yet officially a candidate, but said in March that he’s giving it serious consideration.
“So, I will have the resources and the backing of a lot of people across the state of Texas to ensure that whoever decides to run against me, we will be able to win,” the governor said.
The same poll shows that Abbott holds a 12 percent lead over potential Democratic candidate Beto O’Rourke, who has yet to rule out a gubernatorial bid.
In announcing a potential run for governor in March, McConaughey, whose home state is Texas, said he would adopt an “aggressively centric” approach if he were to run.
He said at the time that politics is “a broken business” and portrayed himself as a “free agent” who could bring an outsider’s perspective to the political arena.
Meanwhile, retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Allen West, a Republican who until recently had served as chairman of the Texas Republican Party, has said he’s also a candidate.
Endorsing Abbott for reelection on June 1, Trump, in a statement circulated by his Save America political action committee, praised the governor’s policies on the U.S. southern border, the Second Amendment, and election integrity.
“Greg Abbott is a fighter and a Great Governor for the incredible people of Texas,” the former president said. “No Governor has done more to secure the Border and keep our communities safe than Governor Abbott. Greg is a staunch defender of the Second Amendment and has made Texas a Second Amendment Sanctuary State.”
In response, Abbott said Trump is a “great friend of Texas.”