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Matthew McConaughey, who has teased at a possible governor candidacy in the past, is 12 points ahead of current Gov. Greg Abbott among Texan voters in a recent poll. (Shutterstock)
First Hollywood, now politics: it seems Austinite Matthew McConaughey can find support in just about anything he does, including running for governor of Texas.
While he hasn't confirmed that leading Texas is his next move, he seems to have the backing for it. In a poll by The Dallas Morning News and the University of Texas at Tyler, McConaughey is leading over current Gov. Greg Abbott in the double digits.
Of the 1,126 voters polled on April 6-13, McConaughey holds a 12-point lead with 45% saying they would put him in office. Abbott got 33% of voters, while 22% said they would vote for someone else.
McConaughey has solid support on both sides, but Democrats, in particular, would like to see Austin's Minister of Culture as governor. While 66% of Democrats said they would vote for McConaughey, 8% would vote for Abbott and 22% said they would vote for someone else. Republicans are still intrigued by the possibility, with 30% saying they would vote for McConaughey, 56% saying they would reelect Abbott and 14% saying they would support someone else. Of the independent voters polled, 44% said they'd vote for McConaughey, a 14-point lead over Abbott.
Similarly, in an Austonia poll ran last month, where 255 voted, these were the results:
- McConaughey 48%
- Abbott 34%
- Unsure 18%
While McConaughey hasn't officially decided to put his name on the ballot, he's publicly mulled it over several times.
In an interview on The Balanced Voice podcast in November, McConaughey said running for governor was "a true consideration."
"What is my leadership role?" McConaughey said." Because I do think I have some things to teach and share, and what is my role? What's my category in my next chapter of life that I'm going into?"
On "The Hugh Hewitt Show" in November, McConaughey said he could see himself looking into politics once the dust settles and conflicts are no longer at an all-time high.
"That wouldn't be up to me. It would be up to the people more than it would me," McConaughey said. "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."
Meanwhile, Abbott has faced significant challenges including the COVID-19 pandemic and Texas' historic winter storm during his time in office. The same poll revealed he still has the support of his party with 77% of Republicans saying they approve of how Abbott has handled being in office. By contrast, 40% of Democrats strongly disapprove of his time in office.
While McConaughey is in the lead, according to the study, he still has some obstacles before he gets his name on the ballot box. Aside from his general apathy with the current political climate, McConaughey hasn't clearly shown which political party he would run for.
His lack of association with a political party might hurt him, since 32% of Republicans wanted a more conservative or Trump-esque governor and 66% of Democrats want a progressive leader. He appears to be a dream for centrists, however, and he's one of the few recent Texan candidates that a significant portion of both parties seem to agree on.
With his star power and signature Texan charm, McConaughey might just have one more job position to add to his jack-of-all-trades resume come Election Day.
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Historic preservationists, for their part, overwhelmingly support historic zoning, which would preserve the buildings in perpetuity. The Historic Landmark Commission unanimously voted to initiate historic zoning in July, citing architectural significance, landscape features and association to historic figures. City staffers recommend historic zoning, calling both structures one-of-a-kind examples of vernacular architecture.
Tarrytown neighbors have also banded together to stop the demolition. Many have written letters, and a few spoke at the meeting. “How could anyone buy this property with the intent of destroying it?” Ila Falvey said. “I think it’s an architectural treasure.”
Michael Whellan, an attorney representing the property owner, said that the claims made by preservationists are shaky. The buildings are run down, he said, and have had substantial renovations. A structural engineer hired by the owner said any attempt at preservation would involve tearing down and rebuilding – an undertaking Whellan said would likely cost millions.
Whellan also argued that any historical significance derived from the property’s association with Delisle and longtime owner C.H. Slator is dubious. “These men are not noted for any civic, philanthropic or historic impact,” he said.
What’s more, according to Whellan, Slator likely participated in segregation as the owner of the Tavern on North Lamar Boulevard between 1953 and 1960.
A city staffer, however, said she found no evidence to support the claim. “We would never landmark a property where a segregationist lived, or there was a racist person,” Kimberly Collins with the Historic Preservation Office said.
Commissioner Awais Azhar couldn’t support historic zoning in part due to lingering uncertainty about Slator. “Focusing on that factor is not here to disparage an individual or family. It is not about playing the race card. This is an important assertion for us to consider as Planning commissioners,” Azhar said.
Commissioner Carmen Llanes Pulido said that allegations of racism should come as no surprise. “We’re talking about white male property owners in the 1950s, in Austin, on the west side – and of course they were racist,” she said. But she argued that allowing the house to be demolished based on these grounds does nothing to help people of color who have been harmed by racism and segregation.
The question of tax breaks was also controversial. Michael Gaudini, representing the property owner, said that the tax breaks associated with historic zoning would exacerbate inequality by shifting property tax burdens to less affluent communities. City staffers estimate that the property, appraised at $3.5 million, would get either a $8,500 or $16,107 property tax break annually, depending on whether a homestead exemption is applied.
Commissioner Grayson Cox preferred the commission focus not on tax breaks but on whether the structures merit preservation. “To me, nothing in the historic preservation criteria lists, is this person deserving of a tax break or not?”
Azhar, on the other hand, said he plans to propose a code amendment getting rid of city property tax breaks for historic properties.
The commission fell one vote short of recommending historic zoning, with six commissioners in support and three opposed. Azhar and commissioners Claire Hempel and Greg Anderson voted against.
The odds of City Council zoning over an owner’s wishes are slim. Nine out of 11 members must vote in favor, and there have only been a handful of such cases over the past several decades.
