Will Kentucky Embrace Ashley Judd’s Progressive Senate Run?

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

Rumors that film star Ashley Judd is considering a run for Senate in her native Kentucky are solidifying. Politico reported Tuesday that Judd has spoken to Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and a Democratic pollster about a possible challenge to Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY). Judd, an unabashed progressive activist, attended the Democratic National Convention this year as a delegate from Tennessee, where she currently lives. Should she decide to run, it won’t be difficult to determine where she stands on crucial policy issues. Here are just a few examples:

Women’s health. Judd has been an outspoken advocate for women’s health groups NARAL Pro-Choice and Planned Parenthood. As she marveled in May, “It’s remarkable to me that I would be having conversations with my peers and the younger cohort about access to reproductive health. That’s the same conversation I have with girls and women in Bangladesh. It’s the same conversation I have in Cambodia and Madagascar. And here we are in America in 2010, talking about whether or not modern family planning is useful. I mean I find that extraordinary.”

Equal pay for women. The film star has talked many times about the importance of equal pay legislation such as the Lilly Ledbetter Act:

@AshleyJudd
Greatest stimulus for economy, EQUAL PAY FOR WOMEN. Would add 200 B to our economy. He does not support Pay Check Fairness/Lily Ledbetter.

Fighting the coal industry. The eighth-generation Kentucky native spoke at a rally against mountaintop removal coal-mining, calling it a “scourge” and a “tragedy” that has devastated the state’s natural resources:

http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2012/12/04/1277471/ashley-judd/

[CherokeeDem]

1. Well...she would have my vote....

We currently have a fairly progressive governor, but he ran a bit more conservatively during his campaigns. I can only hope that Kentucky will come to their senses and embrace a progressive...won't hold my breath though.

[ladjf]

2. I think she could. nt

[Ter]

3. No

I'm not an optimist, nor am I a pessimist. I am a realist.

[rachel1]

4. With the way the repukes are behaving I think KY voters could

embrace her views over any repuke in that state.

[Rosco T.]

5. I would embrace Ashley Judd no matter what state she's representing..

.. oh you mean for office. Yes that too.

Sorry, it was there, she's stunning, I'm weak

[Tx4obama]

6. Everyone be sure to click on the link up in the OP, there are more videos there and more info

Here: http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2012/12/04/1277471/ashley-judd/

[Cha]

7. Are there enough reality based people there to support

her? Maybe Ashley could persuade them to step away from the dark side?

This would be an incredibly good thing for our Country!

[Bake]

8. I'd vote for her, and I'm IN KENTUCKY.

Anything to ditch Mitch!

Seriously, if she ran a serious campaign, she'd get a lot of attention and just might send Mitch to the ditch! I'd embrace THAT!!

Bake

[geek tragedy]

9. Kentucky is a seriously rightwing state, so no. nt

[socialist_n_TN]

10. It depends on how she runs the campaign..........

If she runs as an economic populist, she's got a shot. If she gets sucked into God, guns, and gays, probably not.

[craigmatic]

11. Right now it doesn't look like it but with her name recognition and money it'd be a race to watch.