Ashley Judd "Regretfully" Announces She Won’t Be Running for Senate

After months of speculation, Ashley Judd announced Wednesday that she will not be running for Senate in Kentucky.

"After serious and thorough contemplation, I realize that my responsibilities & energy at this time need to be focused on my family," Judd, 44, tweeted on Wednesday. "Regretfully, I am currently unable to consider a campaign for the Senate."

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The actress had been considered a front-runner to run as a Democrat in 2014 and possibly unseat Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who is currently serving his fourth term. "I am incredibly honored and frankly overwhelmed by the outpouring of support — that the people of Kentucky are interested in having me represent them is the greatest honor of my life so far, and I am certainly taking a close look at it," Judd said at an event in January. "The people of Kentucky need a fighter and certainly going back 10 generations, I've got some fighters from those hills in my family and as soon as I know anything — after I've told the family members to whom I've made my promises that they'll be the first to know — you will be up to date in real time."

A week after her comments, however, she and her husband, racecar driver Dario Franchitti, announced their plans to divorce after 11 years of marriage.

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"I have spoken to so many Kentuckians over these last few months who expressed their desire for a fighter for the people and [a] new leader," Judd also tweeted on Wednesday. "While that won't be me at this time, I will continue to work as hard as I can to ensure the needs of Kentucky families are met by returning this Senate seat to whom it rightfully belongs: the people and their needs, dreams, and great potential. Thanks for even considering me as that person and know how much I love our Commonwealth."

The actress, who received her master's degree from Harvard's Kennedy School of Government in 2010, can currently be seen in the film Olympus Has Fallen.