Actress Ashley Judd has responded to the attack ad released earlier Wednesday by Karl Rove's super PAC American Crossroads. Judd's publicist responded to the ad in an email stating: "Ashley thanks Senator McConnell, Karl Rove, and their negative allies for all the attention as she considers her future political plans, although a decision hasn’t been made yet.”
Although her name has been floated as a potential rival for Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's seat in 2014, she has not yet announced a decision to run for Senate in her home state.
The $10,000 web ad titled “Vote For Me, You Hillbillies” made digs at the actress's praise for President Obama, showing clips of her stating publicly that she will "go wherever the president wants me to go." Although there are rumors of Judd mulling a run in Kentucky, Judd currently resides in Tennessee. The ad features a moment when Judd told the Tennessee delegation at the Democratic National Convention last September, "It just clicked: Tennessee is home."
The narrator also mockingly points out that the nation needs "an independent voice" like Judd's after playing clips of the actress praising Obamacare.
A recent poll found only 17% of registered voters in Kentucky would support Mitch McConnell in 2014, including only 34% of Republicans. Thirty-four percent of voters plan to oppose him, 44% want to see their other options, and 6% remain unsure. Kentucky Democrats continue to search for a viable contender and believe that a campaign led by the actress may be even harmful to the party.
There has been no indication of her planning to move back to Kentucky, something constituents view as crucial for a run.