Ashley Judd has yet to decide if she will run for the senate in Kentucky, but the Republicans in that state are already worried about her, as they released an ad mocking her aspirations on Wednesday.
Karl Rove's super PAC American Crossroads released an attack ad titled "Ashley's Story" that portrays the actress as a Hollywood radical and someone who looks down on people from Kentucky.
The group, American Crossroads, is a conservative organization founded by Ed Gillespie and Karl Rove. The group has paid $10,000 in digital advertising for the spot, which will run for two weeks, according to Roll Call.
Judd's representatives released a statement in response to the ad saying, "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."
Judd has been speculated as a candidate that could challenge Mitch McConnell l for his senate spot in 2014 and the clearly the Republican party agrees.
Judd is a political activist who works with many different causes and supported President Barack Obama over the past two presidential elections. McConnell is a stalwart in Kentucky politics, but has been one of the biggest impediments to progress in the U.S. Congress in recent years.
The rumblings about Judd originally started earlier in December after news came out that she spoke with Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and with Democratic pollsters about a possible run in 2014. It gained more traction when Rep. John Yarmuth (D-Ky) brought the idea out in the open. According to USA Today, he said: Judd is "doing all the things that a serious candidate exploring a race should do."
Judd released a statement late last year addressing the rumors, saying:
"I cherish Kentucky, heart and soul, and while I'm very honored by the consideration, we have just finished an election, so let's focus on coming together to keep moving America's families, and especially our kids, forward," Judd said, according to the Huffington Post.
Judd's options for Congress would be to run against Mitch McConnell, who is one of 13 Republicans up for re-election in 2014, or wait until 2016 to take on Rand Paul, who is the freshman Senator for the state. Judd is originally from Kentucky and is a die-hard Wildcats basketball fan that can often be seen at games.
Paul was quoted on the radio last year saying that Judd would not be able to hold the state considering she is known as a liberal.
"She's way damn too liberal for our country, for our state," Sen. Rand Paul said to the radio station WMAL. "She hates our biggest industry, which is coal. I say, good luck bringing the 'I hate coal' message to Kentucky."
Judd recently divorced from husband Dario Franchitti after just over 10 years of marriage. Judd, who is a well-known actress and a prominent Kentucky Wildcats basketball fan, married the three-time Indy 500 champion in Scotland on Dec. 12, 2001. According to Yahoo.com, Judd, 44, and Franchitti, 39, do not have any children together. The couple was engaged for two years prior to getting married, Judd's sister Wynonna served as her maid of honor.
