Ashley Judd not running for Senate

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Ashley Judd, the Hollywood movie star and eighth-generation Kentuckian, has decided not to launch a star-studded campaign to unseat Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

Judd made her announcement via Twitter Wednesday afternoon.


Judd had been publicly and privately flirting with a bid for several months, reaching out to Louisville fundraisers, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee in Washington and a handful of top Democrats here, including Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear, to express interest in a potential run against McConnell.

( WATCH: Crossroads ad mocks ‘radical’ Ashley Judd)

She also spoke with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid this week, a person familiar with the call told POLITICO.

“After serious and thorough contemplation, I realize that my responsibilities & energy at this time need to be focused on my family,” Judd wrote on her Twitter page.

“Regretfully, I am currently unable to consider a campaign for the Senate. I have spoken to so many Kentuckians over these last few months ~ who expressed their desire for a fighter for the people & new leader,” she added. “While that won’t be me at this time, I will continue to work as ~ 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 & their needs, dreams, and great potential. Thanks for even considering me as that person & know how much I love our Commonwealth. Thank you!”

Judd was hamstrung by several factors: namely her continued residency in Tennessee and her lack of political experience let alone against a ruthless campaigner like McConnell.

( Quiz: Do you know Ashley Judd?)

Moreover, a number of Kentucky Democrats were worried her staunchly liberal views — such as strongly condemning the practice of mountaintop removal mining — would be too difficult to overcome in rural parts of the state where the coal industry has a dominant presence. They feared her candidacy would be too risky in a year when they believe McConnell is perhaps more vulnerable than he’s ever been in his nearly three decade Senate career.

According to a source close to Judd, Alison Lundergan Grimes’s interest in the race made her decision easier because it wouldn’t leave the Democrats without any prospects against McConnell.

In addition, Judd’s decision could change in the future — she’s been encouraged by the support and enthusiasm from Kentuckians and will continue to be active in politics.

Still, Judd’s decision will be viewed as a letdown to activists on the left and some Democrats here, including Rep. John Yarmuth, who argued that she would be able to energize the party, raise a flood of cash and give her a huge platform to take on McConnell and the millions of dollars in his campaign war chest.

( See also: Prominent Democrats wooing Alison Lundergan Grimes, not Ashley Judd)

Judd’s decision to skip a run is certain to put new pressure on the 34-year-old Grimes, the Kentucky secretary of state who has been mum about a possible run. Grimes is also weighing a possible run for attorney general or governor in 2015, and given her age, she may decide to run for the Senate seat when there’s a better chance of winning, whether it’s in 2016 against GOP Sen. Rand Paul or a later cycle, Democrats here say.

But with Judd out and if Grimes were to skip a bid, Democrats would have few options here in the Bluegrass State. They will search for a possible self-funder, similar to McConnell’s 2008 opponent, Bruce Lunsford, who lost by 6 points after a hard-fought campaign. And there are a crop of state legislators who may yet emerge, though they too would certainly be untested against McConnell and the political machine he’s built in the state.