Update: Ashley Judd has announced via Twitter that she will not run for Senate. "After serious and thorough contemplation, I realize that my responsibilities & energy at this time need to be focused on my family," she wrote.
Actress Ashley Judd has decided not to pursue a bid for the Kentucky Senate race, according to two sources familiar with her decision.
A source close to Judd said that Secretary of State Allison Lundergan Grimes's interest in potential race made the decision not to run easier. "The timing just wasn't right," said the source.
Judd's potential candidacy against Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R) drew national headlines. While she received encouragement from the likes of Kentucky Rep. John Yarmuth, other Democrats in the state expressed apprehension about her candidacy.
Democratic Senate strategists have argued that Judd would be a good, if unconventional candidate, pointing to her ability to rival or even eclipse McConnell in fundraising. But McConnell's path to victory involves savaging his opponent, and Judd's status as an actress and celebrity would have offered him loads of ammunition.
