Ashley Judd Looking at Senate Run

Celebrity would likely challenge GOP leader Mitch McConnell

Actress Ashley Judd is serious about running for the Senate in Kentucky. She's been mentioned for months as a potential challenger to Republican Leader Mitch McConnell in 2014, and Senate Democrats are actively encouraging Judd to jump into the race, reports Politico's Manu Raju.

Judd has been in touch with Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Democratic consultants. The star of "Kiss The Girls" and "Double Jeopardy," among other flicks, would bring obvious star power to the contest.

But even Democratic boosters acknowledge the downsides. "She'd be pegged as a liberal, out of touch with conservative Kentucky; she has no experience running for office; and she now lives outside her home state," Raju writes.

Judd is hardly the first celebrity to ponder a political campaign. But many step back once they have to reveal their finances. Then there's that series of Judd's racy pics and film clips.

Still, the 44-year-old Judd has serious policy chops. She attended the University of Kentucky, and recently completed a master's degree at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government. And Judd worked with the liberal group EMILY's List during this past election cycle, penning a fundraising solicitation calling on supporters to help women candidates who support abortion rights.

Via Politico.

Would you support Ashley Judd for Senate?

[Zazziness]

I don't know enough about her politics to know if I'd support her but I know enough about people to be sure her opponent should worry if she runs. She's nice to look at and a good orator. A lot of politicians get elected on that alone.

[PNWest]

Yes. She would certainly be better than Mitch McConnell. Stranger things have happened. These folks actually elected Rand Paul.

[Jeff_Woehrle]

She would guarantee the simpleton vote. "Oooh! She's so pretty!"

[Zazziness]

Naw, most of those folks are still crushing on Comrade Sarah Palin.

[Jeff_Woehrle]

Talk about prophetic, I typed that just as you were posting that she was 'nice to look at.'

[Zazziness]

@Jeff_Woehrle You'd have to be a fool to be unaware that humans are instinctively inclined to favor a nice-looking face. In fact, babies who have just learned to focus their eyes do it. Given a choice between looking at a pretty face and a plain one, they gaze at pretty. Heavens, politicians and marketeers take that into account all the time. You know that, right?

[Jeff_Woehrle]

@Zazziness How quaint.

Intelligence and responsibility have nothing to do with appearance. To assume otherwise is kind of shallow. You know that, right?

[Zazziness]

@Jeff_Woehrle Duh. Humans are not sheerly rational creatures. You knew that, right?

[Dan_Tien]

No, I would not support her. There are too many actors in government already.

[AceLuby]

Depends on her policy stance, but it wouldn't matter much as I don't live in Kentucky.

[jessejaymes]

I can thing about 300 things I would love to discuss with Ashley and none of them involve politics.

[methinks]

The first time I saw her was when she did a guest stint on Star Trek, the Next Generation, 20 some odd years ago.:) She's aged quite well!

[Hireman]

She'd be perfect. For a job, she pretends to be something she's not. Perfect for congress.

[artjeb]

Aren't most comgress people actors ? nothing is done there but acting & looking for publicity

[DarthSidious]

She's great at acting and so is everyone in both houses of The Senate. She will fit in perfectly, because we all know the fat cats in D.C. are full of hot air.

[Shortysdad]

I would like to know more about her. I know about the old guy and how pride would lead him to be against any bill even if it were to make clubbing baby seals illegal just out of spite if Obama were for it. I think we need to do a lot better to represent the fine state of ky than a bitter old white man.

[Neo_NtheMatrix]

Shut up and sing!

[Fishbone345]

Wrong Judd.

[Neo_NtheMatrix]

@Fishbone345 - She should just shut up then.

[Fishbone345]

@Neo_NtheMatrix Fair enough.

[kirbstomp1]

She needs to get back to the kitchen and make me a damn sandwich.

[Thegrif]

OMG, seriously?

[HPthinker]

Does ashley have an advanced degree in economics? Some government experience? Anything at all that would aid her at making descisions? This is not a great idea in my eyes.

[Fishbone345]

Considering how well all of the "experience" in DC has aided the country thus far, I'd say perhaps new blood is a good thing.

[Denizen_Kate]

Which part of " ... recently completed a master's degree at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government" did you not read? Also, try googling her name. She's constantly working for national and international causes. Intelligent, articulate, and accomplished.

[HPthinker]

@Fishbone345 with a harvard degree in government she should be an insider in about 30 seconds...

[martydotcom]

She can pass the two tooth minimum ! That's all you need in Kentucky

[LGRepublican]

@Fishbone345 While I can agree that new blood may be needed, new blood from the hollywood crowd isn't ......

[sabbatical]

Senate Looking At Ashley Judd Running Naked

[kyrebel]

A bunch of people would like her because her family ties to country music and her support of the Kentucky wildcats. But politics are another thing. We would care more about her views on coal,tobacco, and morals. Kentucky is very conservative but it might change. Seems like america has changed over night, so you never know.

[martydotcom]

Kentucky - home of Senator's McConnell & Paul, where voter ID is the ability to pass the two tooth minimum. She went to Harvard.
As they say in Brooklyn furgettboutit

[Sharpshooter]

SURE.... might just as well be screwed by someone I would actually consider going to bed with. Let's see, sex with Harry Reed or Ashley Judd? Yep, Ashley wins. Listening to Ashley Judd for three hours droning about abortion rights or Sandra Flake" Ashely wins again....

RUN ASHLEY......... RUN!

[DerivePI]

Her experience with real poverty in Cambodia and Rwanda is a plus, but, based on her party affiliation, she has no idea how to reduce poverty. Also, there is no place in DC for extreme animal rights activists like her.

[Thegrif]

No, I dont believe so anyway.
There is way to much voting for the person, and because we lime someone's personality. Rather than their qualifications for the job. I look at it this way, most people don't like their boss, meaning they don't hang out tigether at parties. Why should you like you boss or your President?i say hire the most quilified, or elect, and leave it at that.

[harold]

She gets the same consideration from me as any other politician.
She couldn't be worse than Palin...could she?

[DARSB]

It doesn't seem likely Ms Judd would be able to defeat the powerful incumbent, but 2014 is still a ways off - things could radically change. If she did win the seat, though, that would make Rand Paul the senior Senator from Kentucky, not that he'd let that go to his head or anything...

Further south is an intriguing situation. In a PPP poll Herman Cain soundly beats Senator Saxby Chambliss in Georgia, 50 - 36. I wonder if Herman's getting bored with his little radio show yet?

[PayThatCEO]

Another dim-wit looking to join the Republicans. So what's new?

[Denizen_Kate]

Judd isn't a Republican.

[LGRepublican]

More like another dim-wit democrat......

[RobertJHarsh]

Unfortunately she'd be a socialist Sarah Palin...just slightly smarter. BTW, when did her career start winding down? I half expected Sandra Bullock to wash out of Hollywood at some point and run for office, considering her string of terrible movies.