Matthew McConaughey Shrugs at Caustic Criticism from Beto O’Rourke: ‘I’d Say He’s a Good Man’

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Actor Matthew McConaughey took the high road on Thursday in his response to criticism from another prospective candidate for Texas governor, Democrat Beto O’Rourke.

O’Rourke, who lost a 2018 race for Senate to Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) before running an unsuccessful presidential campaign in the 2020 Democratic primary, lodged his critique of McConaughey in an interview with The New York Times this week, saying, “I don’t know, for example, who he voted for in the most consequential election since 1864 in this country. I don’t know how he feels about any of the issues … [but] he’s a good guy who’s done some good work in this state. And he’s a great actor, on top of all that.”

McConaughey responded in a Times interview on Thursday. “I don’t take that as shade,” McConaughey said. “He called me a good man. I’d say he’s a good man. He believes in what he’s selling, and his heart is in the right place, and he’s got the right kind of compassion that a liberal-sided politician needs.”

O’Rourke is expected to challenge incumbent Gov. Greg Abbott (R) when the governor seeks a third term in next year’s election. McConaughey has said that he is considering it.

A poll conducted last month by the University of Texas and Dallas Morning News found McConaughey beating Abbott by 9 percentage points in a hypothetical match-up, while O’Rourke trailed Abbott by 5 percentage points. Researchers failed to quiz voters on their preference between McConaughey and O’Rourke.