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During a podcast interview Wednesday, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton criticized a video from actor Matthew McConaughey encouraging voters to consider independent candidates.
On Sunday, McConaughey took to social media and challenged the long-held notion that voting for an independent candidate is a wasted vote, arguing that just a handful of independent lawmakers could dramatically shift the balance of power in Washington.
“They’ve been telling us for years that an independent vote is a wasted vote,” McConaughey said in a video shared on Instagram. “Well, a great question for our times is, has that unwasted vote been working out for you?”
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Actor Matthew McConaughey released a video on Instagram Sunday urging followers to consider independent candidates. (PG/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)
Liberal journalist Kara Swisher shared the video with Clinton on their new podcast “High Stakes,” remarking that she didn’t think McConaughey articulated the appeal of independent candidates well enough for viewers.
Clinton went further and criticized McConaughey for potentially complicating the Democratic Party’s efforts to push back against President Donald Trump in the midterm elections.
“I think it’s really unfortunate that somebody who’s such a great actor with such a reach would be two weeks before a midterm that is aimed at stopping Trump’s corruption, impunity and extreme damage to the country would suggest that any independent candidate is really a better choice,” Clinton said.
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Hillary Clinton had criticized Matthew McConaughey’s video ahead of the midterms. (Adam Gray/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
“Right now, we have a broad range of Democrats running and Democrats are representing, I think, every kind of American in these elections,” she continued. “And we know, I mean, it’s just a fact. We know that if we don’t vote for Democrats to defeat Republicans, then Trump will have two more unchecked years to do whatever he wants to our country.”
Digital reached out to McConaughey’s representative for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
Clinton, along with her husband, former President Bill Clinton, have recently taken steps to campaign for Democratic candidates ahead of the midterm elections. While the former president has been making public appearances on behalf of candidates, the former first lady has made rounds in the podcast sphere with Swisher.
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Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her husband, former U.S. President Bill Clinton, have made efforts to support Democratic politicians during the 2026 midterm elections. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
However, some Democratic strategists have expressed doubts about this latest push.
“Hillary and Bill are still relevant to some voters. However, they will mostly be useful in speaking to the Democratic base and those who are highly engaged in politics,” Democratic strategist Mally Smith told Digital last week.
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“It is a hard media environment to breakthrough and even current elected officials, let alone former office holders, will struggle to get people’s attention.”
‘ Christina Dugan Ramirez contributed to this report.
