Kentucky Democrat Alison Lundergan Grimes announced at a press conference on Monday she’ll run for reelection as Secretary of State in 2015, rather than seek a higher statewide post.
“I’m more resolute today than I was yesterday to continue to champion the values that we hold dear,” she said.
Grimes got thumped by 15 points in her race to unseat Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) last November, and the poor showing in 2014 appears to have dampened her political rise.
{mosads}Democrats had high hopes for the Kentucky secretary of state, but she made a handful of gaffes in the run up to the election and her campaign was criticized as being overly cautious.
There were two higher-profile openings above her, but Democrats already had leading candidates for both slots.
State Attorney General Jack Conway (D) has already announced he intends to run for governor, and Gov. Steve Beshear’s (D) son, Andy Beshear, will run to replace Conway.
Grimes could still have an eye on 2016, when Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) will be running for reelection in the Senate and possibly the White House at the same time. Grimes could also challenge Rep. Andy Barr (R-Ky.) for his House seat next year.
But Grimes could still be a thorn in the side of national Republicans as secretary of State.
Paul has already announced he is running for reelection to the Senate, but he has presidential ambitions as well, and Kentucky law bars a candidate from appearing on the same ballot for multiple offices.
Paul and his team have said they’re discussing with Kentucky Republicans the possibility of holding a convention instead of a primary as a workaround.
Paul could also simply not run in the Kentucky presidential primary, or challenge the law in court.
But Grimes has already threatened to take Paul to court to block him from running for president and the Senate simultaneously. She didn’t broach the issue at her Monday press conference.