Actress and possible Senate candidate Ashley Judd joined Republicans Tuesday in condemning a progressive group’s racially charged attack on Sen. Mitch McConnell's wife, former Labor Secretary Elaine Chao.
"This woman has the ear of @McConnellPress -- she's his #wife. May explain why your job moved to #China!," the group ProgressKY wrote on Twitter on Feb. 14.
The tweet links to a website that alleges Chao, who is the daughter of Taiwanese immigrants, disparaged American workers when she served as Labor Secretary under President George W. Bush.
Judd, who is considering running against McConnell in next year's Senate contest, tweeted a veiled condemnation of the group.
"Whatever the intention, whatever the venue, whomever the person, attacks or comments on anyone's ethnicity are wrong & patently unacceptable," Judd wrote Tuesday afternoon.
The flap was first reported by WFPL public radio.
McConnell campaign manager Jesse Benton called Chao's family "salt of the earth" immigrants who represent "shining examples of the American dream."
"It is unconscionable that anyone would use blatant race-baiting for political gain," Benton said in a statement. "Progress Kentucky should be ashamed of themselves. We hope all Americans can agree that these disgusting tactics have no place in American politics."
The National Republican Senatorial Committee called on national Democrats to denounce ProgressKY.
"This disgusting attack and this organization must be condemned immediately by top Democrats across the board," spokesman Brad Dayspring said in a statement.
