Though Ashley Judd was at least a public favorite for a potential Senate run against Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, she announced Wednesday that she will not pursue public office at this time.
The actress and activist announced on her Twitter account that she won’t be running to unseat the top Kentucky Republican after all, despite months of speculation that she was considering it.
Regretfully, I am currently unable to consider a campaign for the Senate.I have spoken to so many Kentuckians over these last few months ~
— ashley judd (@AshleyJudd) March 27, 2013
~ who expressed their desire for a fighter for the people new leader.While that won’t be me at this time, I will continue to work as ~ — ashley judd (@AshleyJudd) March 27, 2013
as hard as I can to ensure the needs of Kentucky families are met by returning this Senate seat to whom it rightfully belongs: the people — ashley judd (@AshleyJudd) March 27, 2013
as hard as I can to ensure the needs of Kentucky families are met by returning this Senate seat to whom it rightfully belongs: the people &
— ashley judd (@AshleyJudd) March 27, 2013
Judd’s Senate-campaign-that-wasn’t was an interesting one to watch, particularly because it seemingly came out of nowhere last year. Though since she’s a celebrity, and a popular one at that, it seemed like a Judd Senate run was a no-brainer, despite a few minor hiccups (for instance, she lives in Tennessee, not Kentucky).
But over time, Judd’s actual political positions and often controversial statements may have ultimately proven to be her undoing.
Josh Voorhees of Slate theorized that “given the GOP’s extensive preemptive attacks on Judd, it was pretty clear they viewed her as a formidable challenger to McConnell,” but I’d disagree with that hypothesis, particularly because of the pundits.
Sean Hannity of Fox News, for instance, dedicated a recent panel to begging Judd to run against McConnell. Why? Isn’t is obvious? He thinks she’d lose. When a densely partisan pundit sees a threat to a favored candidate, they go for character assassination, not petty patronizing.
Additionally, other GOP insiders have expressed some optimism over Judd’s potential Senate run. They reportedly call her “the liberal Democrat version of Todd Akin.” That’ll pour cold water on any Hollywood hopeful’s political career.
Besides, if you still want to see McConnell gone, he stands a better chance of losing to the woman who will now be his main opponent: Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Lundergran Grimes.
[Image via: Genevieve719]
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