SAN ANTONIO, Texas — San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones has publicly criticized actor Matthew McConaughey for urging voters to give independent candidates a bigger role, telling Texans instead to back Democrats in the Nov. 3 election.
In a Tuesday night Instagram post, Jones called the actor’s video a waste of time and described his suggestion that Texans vote independent as reckless privilege. She ended the post by urging people to vote for every Democrat and reminding them that early voting ends Oct. 30.
McConaughey, who grew up in Uvalde, posted a six-minute video titled Independent Counts on Oct. 18. He told viewers he was backing no candidate or party and argued that a two-party setup leaves many voters with few real options, suggesting a handful of independent lawmakers could push both parties toward compromise.
Jones countered that backing independents could weaken the effort to unseat Republicans. She pointed to the Uvalde school shooting in the actor’s hometown, the state’s high share of uninsured adults and children, immigration enforcement, reproductive health laws and voting restrictions as reasons to stick with one party.
The exchange comes as more Americans call themselves independents. In a January Gallup report, a record 45% of adults in the U.S. said they were independents in 2025, compared with 27% each for Democrats and Republicans. Texas early voting began Oct. 19 and runs through Oct. 30, ahead of races for U.S. Senate and governor. Polls this month have shown independent voters in Texas leaning toward Democratic candidates in both of those contests.
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