Ashley Judd Runs 4 Points Behind Mitch McConnell In Kentucky Senate Poll

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

Source: The Huffington Post


Sen. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's (R-Ky.) unpopularity in his home state might leave him susceptible to a 2014 challenge, including a potential Senate bid by actress Ashley Judd, according to a poll released Tuesday by the Democratic firm Public Policy Polling.

Although Kentucky remains deeply Republican, McConnell's low approval ratings -- the worst of any senator nationally, according to PPP -- could make him vulnerable. Just 37 percent of Kentucky voters approve of his performance, while 55 percent disapprove.

McConnell, who eked out a slim victory in 2008, has already begun preparing to fight for reelection. He hired former Ron Paul strategist Jesse Benton to run a "presidential-level campaign in Kentucky," McConnell said in a statement in September.

While some speculated the move was meant to ward off potential Tea Party rivals, PPP found that half of GOP voters would like to see McConnell as their party's nominee, while just 35 percent would favor someone more conservative.

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/11/ashley-judd-mitch-mcconnell-senate-poll_n_2278977.html

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Same margins for Abramson and Conway - Turtleboy can be defeated in 2014.

[iandhr]

1. sounds to good to be true

[MADem]

11. Sounds like the numbers when Liz Warren started looking at challenging Scott Brown, actually.

A lot of people thought that was a bridge too far, too--and look who will be taking the Commonwealth's Junior Senator seat in Jan...

AJ is no idiot--she's very involved in UN and other charities, she's smart on issues of importance to Democrats, a quick study, very articulate and a superb presenter of ideas, and she has been around the block so she knows a con artist coming at her a mile away.

I think she could give Mitch something to cry about.

If B Actor Ronald Reagan could be President, A quality actor could surely be a Senator.

[iandhr]

30. Yes and Liz Warren ran in Massachusetts. This is Kentucky.

They really don't like the President. Unlike in Mass where they like him a lot.

Don't get me wrong I hate Mitch and would love to see him out of there. And I agree with you about Judd.

[MADem]

34. Four points behind suggests that Kentucky already likes her--all politics is local, to quote Tip.

Even if they don't like POTUS, she's got deep roots in the state and if she can get voters to see things her way and cause them to identify with her as their senator, she could just pull it off.

I don't mean to play the "looks" card, but McConnell looks like a damn tortoise!

[iandhr]

35. Fair point

[Bjorn Against]

31. I could even see a President Judd in the future

If she wins in Kentucky I could see her as a potential contender in 2020 or 2024. She is very smart and likable, and perhaps most importantly she is one of the very few celebrities who can actually cite serious educational background and experience in international relations to qualify her for public office. If she wins in Kentucky she will quickly rise in national prominence, I seriously believe she has enormous potential to become the first woman President if nobody beats her to it.

[graham4anything]

2. I would rather she run against Rand, he is far more dangerous to the health of America

and one would assume he would be much easier to beat.

and taking Mitch down, would in a sense elevate Rand to senior senator giving him more of a forum that way

[blueclown]

3. But Rand isn't the minority leader of the Senate.

Mitch McConnell is, and that is why he poses such a grave threat to this country, and that is why he must be defeated.

[graham4anything]

5. They could name Rand minority leader if Mitch loses. None of them are any better

The problem in 14 as opposed to 16 is, if she runs and loses a bitter fight, they will claim a big victory and attempt to use that to demoralize the dems in 16.

and in a Presidential, standing side by side with Hillary45 will get her coattails and more people vote in Presidentials than midterms

[blueclown]

6. While that is true, it is unlikely.

Rand Paul hasn't spent nearly enough time in the Senate to become party leader. There are other better candidates that are just as "conservative" and nutty as Rand Paul.

And let's be honest, is there really that much of a difference between Rand Paul and Mitch McConnell? I think over the last 4 years, we haven't seen much of a difference.

[graham4anything]

8. yes I think there is a difference.

Rand is the type of extremist charismatic person who has really dangerous views like his father but better in public

whereas Mitch is a hack and has no ability to go any further.
the repubs would most liklely be happy to overthrow him if they could anyhow.

If she can win, more power to it, but only if she knows its a sure thing and is heavily financed.
Because they will be.

I really think it would be alot easier in 2016.

[Ter]

28. In 2016, Hillary we be busy running against Rand

n/t

[graham4anything]

38. Hillary will be running against Jeb. Not a JUNIOR senator from KT

though you make my point. We need to keep Rand a Junior Senator, not senior senator.

Because in any football game, on any given day the team favored to lose 56 to 0 could
have an upset

Or in boxing terms, Mike Tyson Vs. Buster Douglass. Tyson was 100 to 1 favorite to win
and he lost.

So, NO I do not want Rand to have any more power than he does.

I would like Ashley to wait to 2016, and force Rand to either challenge full time (thereby stopping him from running for President) or to not run for reelection then, which would still make it 100% given that Ashley could win.

BTW it's a shame on all sides that politics is now on a first name, or a letter, or a nickname basis.
Gone are the days when everyone called the person Sen. or Congressman or even Mr. or Mrs.

It shows how W took us all down to the status of say Cher, Madonna, Lindsay, Elton(circa now as opposed to his full name back in the 70s)
where a first name is all that is mentioned

It dumbs everything down which is great for the repubs when that happens

[Arkana]

44. Basically. If they lose McConnell, I'm sure McCain or Hatch or one of the other lifers

will move on the leadership spot.

[mimi85]

7. I understand what you're saying

however, does this mean that NO Democrat should challenge him? Or just Ashley?

[graham4anything]

9. Are there 2 major names that can win? Ashley is one. But is there a second?

if not, I would rather win the surer race, and get two more years of prep work to do so.

Remember, the repubs now are getting 2 years to fight her, so it won't be a sudden entry where she could run with little against her. So that being the case, more prep time on the dems part could lead to a major victory (and 2016 will be the year of the Democratic women in races all over.

Again, it depends on financing. Long as the other side has no problem with major money, we need to fight even.

[sofa king]

43. Sadly, Warren Oates is dead.

Seriously, though, I think the object should be to turn McConnell's election into a vast money-sink for the Republicans by first encouraging a Tea Partier to steal the tax issue from Grover Norquist and make McConnell face down a semi-credible primary contender.

McConnell voted against an extension of the middle class tax cut. Let him outrun that for awhile, then maybe front his primary challenger as a third party candidate.

Then you slap him with whomever negotiates our own primary process, hopefully buoyed by the support of the well-run GOTV organizations that supported President Obama, with minimal expenditure by any one of them while the other side has to blow hundreds an hour just to drown out any recitation of McConnell's actual record.

The lesson we need to teach corporate America right now is that even though unlimited money can be wasted on politics, investing in politics is too risky to reliably pay off. It's time to turn Mitch the Republican cash-cow into Mitch the golden calf.

[Arkana]

45. Governor Beshear?

He's a fairly popular Democrat in a red state...

[MADem]

13. That will NEVER happen. There's a pecking order, you see, and a few whips and other cat herders

are way ahead of Rand, who hasn't done anything to contribute to the "traditional" bastion of his party--in fact, he's shit on them; they won't back him.

These top leadership jobs aren't appointments--the caucus votes in the people they want to have the positions. Rand doesn't have a prayer of persuading more than two or three GOP senators to vote for him as leader--and he'd only get those votes if he got the senators in question high first.

[MADem]

12. Why should she wait? The time is NOW. And Rand has no leadership role. Mitch does.

I'm sure that once she wins Mitch's seat, others with excellent qualifications will think to challenge Rand...and once she's in, she can bring money and clout and star power to that effort.

A rising tide lifts all boats.

FWIW, a challenger being four points back at this stage of the game is nothing. That's good news for AJ. Mitch must be shitting...!

[Coyotl]

15. Breitbart has this covered

A little out of focus, and more uncovered than covered.

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Hollywood/2012/12/05/Ashley-Judd-Mulls-Senate-Run

America has seen celebrities-turned-politicians before, of course ... Judd's a University of Kentucky graduate, and has a Masters in Public Administration from Harvard's Kennedy School of Government. She's also a millionaire Hollywood celeb.

But none of them were as far left as Judd. Michelle Malkin called her a “clown” ...

[MADem]

24. They tried to denigrate Al Franken, too--that worked real well for 'em.

And talk about clowns....Hello? Sonny Bono? Ronald "My Co-Star is a Chimp" Reagan?

Michelle Malkin needs to check her mirror if she is really looking to find a Grade A clown.

[graham4anything]

16. What is her view on guns?

[MADem]

23. Who knows and who cares?

If she's polling four points behind the incumbent, she can poll her way to a position on that topic, and any other one that's a local/regional hot button.

The important thing is to have a Dem in the Senate who will deliver a vote when needed to the majority leader, something that wasn't thought to be likely from that state. If she can knock Mitch out, that's gravy, a bonus.

[graham4anything]

37. I am anti-gun. If she is, she could get millions in financing

My mayor mike has a new superpac that is giving mega-money to any candidate in 2014 who will speak out against guns, against the NRA nationwide.
I would assume being that its Kentucky that neither other candidate will do so.

So if she is, she would win the race doing so. (actually any candidate will win if they break the NRA blackmail.)

Think he went 7 for 10 in 2012 and it was only a trial run for 2014 and 2016.
Going to one too many funerals of someone shot by any gun (legal or illegal) convinced him to put his money where his mouth is.

I have no idea of Ashley's gun view, but as she is a super liberal, maybe there is a chance she is anti-NRA, so she could reap a windfall and its going to take tens of millions to defeat McConnell when all of his super Pacs toss their money in(especially that red haired Vegas magnate who's name I am momentarily forgetting.

[MADem]

46. I don't think she'd come out as "anti-gun" if she decided to run. It's just not a smart move in

that environment. She'd probably come down in the "sensible" side of the debate.

In her many film roles, she handles weapons with aplomb.

If she runs, she won't have trouble raising money.


I think you're thinking of Sheldon Adelson....

[harun]

27. No way. McConnell is one of the worst in history.

[beachgirl2365]

4. GO Ashley!!!!

Go Ashley,. Go Ashley!!!

[benld74]

10. RUN ASHLEY RUN! PULEEESSSSE

[Coyotl]

14. Or, just talk for a while

so we can decide if you should up and run.

[AAO]

17. Sure she can run

But couldn't she just lay there for awhile longer?

[benld74]

42. Whoa!

[libdem4life]

18. Good lord, get a grip. Arnold (Gov CA) posed nude for a gay mag and was known as The Groper.

[okaawhatever]

25. Yes, but the voters were Californians...would that have worked

in Kentucky? Plus, let's face it, a double standard still exists. Although......we could start a rumor that McConnell was nude in a gay mag, and since no one would look due to vomit factor, the rumor would never be dispelled! Go Dems!

[libdem4life]

41. Ugh...You do have a point, however, we believed that the impetus for foreign-born Presidents

originally came into being to prep Arnie for the Presidency. I think he could have been elected. He wasn't a half bad governor either, but there's still the gender issue. Men are hunks, women (most especially liberal women) are sluts and all that.

Just for the record, he's got hot abs and just about everything else. Not full frontal, of course.

[marble falls]

19. Close enough to run. She oughta pick up that four percent and then some whem McConnell runs the....

country from the ditch he helped run it into to over the 'fiscal' cliff.

[midnight]

20. K&R

[Mel Content]

21. if she campaigns in the same dress she wore to the oscars one year...

those numbers will definitely improve.

[Angleae]

22. I know the dress you're talking about

But consider this is Kentucky we're talking about. It's almost part of the bible belt.

[yurbud]

26. he looks more like a slightly dehydrated jellyfish than a turtle

turtles have bones.

He doesn't even have gristle.

[okaawhatever]

29. I wonder who would endorse her.....Clooney is from KY and his Dad is big in politics there

even made a run 8 yrs. ago for a seat in HOR. Lost though. I also wonder how much her husband can help. Being both an INDY car and NASCAR driver gives him alot of name recognition in the state. Hmmm...we'll see

[AldoLeopold]

32. Think of the possibilities though

A new Senator from Kentucky in our camp. Charismatic. An actress. She's an actress, she can act mfucker. A liberal. She gets the minority leader's seat. Oh so sweet. I can taste the repukes tears.

[Blasphemer]

33. Since he is vulnerable to all Dems, the Dem primary could be too competitive for Judd

If there is any chance of ousting him, I think Judd would lose a primary to more experienced pols. I wonder if the GOP will try to primary McConnell.

[NICO9000]

36. And runs about a million points ahead of him in the brains and beauty categories!

I mean c'mon - do Kentuckyians really want to look at Senator Yertle until 2021 when they could have Ashley Judd instead? It will be AWESOME if she does run though. We can use as many actual liberal female Senators as possible, not any more from the DiFi school.

[graham4anything]

39. Ashley running against Rand in 16, will force him to abandon the 16Pres race or quit the senate

Rand couldn't fully fight for reelection in 2016 and run for president

He would be forced to do one or the other if he has solid competition like Ashley would be

So we could force his hand either way there and if he doesn't run for reelection, then we win and Ashley wins right from the start

If he does run for Presidency, he can't do both, nobody ever has run a competitive race while running for the Presidency, most who do have no competition so they sail through.

It might also force Rand's hand about considering 3rd party like his stupid ass father did many times or threatened to.

I love the idea of Sen. Ashley Judd but like the idea of a senate MINUS Rand Paul even better.
And as I don't hear anyone saying there is a second democrat as good as Ashley in Kentucky to beat Rand or Mitch, I would personally rather wait for 2016 and fully prepare and get Rand out.

We need to get out all the teaparty extremists. It would be so much easier to get stuff passed that way.

[CrawlingChaos]

40. One thing I know about Ashley Judd

She is a genuinely compassionate person. She went to extraordinary lengths to help a dog who was the victim of horrific neglect and abuse. She paid for the best of care, spent time with the poor dog every day and was even with him through his final moments. I followed the story daily and it was devastating, but I was so impressed with her efforts, which went well beyond writing a check.

http://www.dogtipper.com/blog/2012/05/ashley-judd-helps-abused-dog.html

Personally, I can think of no better indication of character than what transpired during that tragic incident. Go Ashley!