Bill Clinton Encourages Both Judd and Challenger in Possible Senate Bid

March 22, 2013— -- Former President Bill Clinton has spoken to both Ashley Judd and Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes about the U.S. Senate race in Kentucky, encouraging them both to take a hard look at the race.

ABC News has learned that Clinton encouraged Judd to enter the race and promised he would help her, according to several Kentucky political sources. That conversation happened sometime between the November election and President Barack Obama's second inauguration.

Earlier this month Clinton met with Grimes, who is also weighing a bid, after he spoke at an event for former Kentucky Sen. Wendell Ford in Owensboro, Ky., according to multiple political sources in the state. Clinton encouraged Grimes to consider taking on McConnell, adding as he did with Judd that he would support her. The conversation was described as "candid" and "frank" with Clinton saying "all options are available" to the 34-year-old secretary of state and that she has "unlimited potential." He did add that "bigger is always better," meaning that the Senate seat would be a better choice than running for the U.S. House in the sixth district or waging a gubernatorial bid in 2015. Both are options Grimes is said to be considering.

The same sources stressed that despite the time gap, Clinton wasn't choosing Grimes over Judd or changing allegiances, but that he expressed encouragement to both, believing it's unlikely that both would enter the race.

Although it is possible the two could be in the primary against each other.

News of Clinton's meeting with Grimes was first reported by Politico.

Matt McKenna, a spokesman for Clinton said, "President Clinton fully intends to support the Democratic nominee in this race."

The Clintons are longtime friends and allies of Grimes's father, Jerry Lundergan, a former state party chairman, and Grimes herself who became secretary of state in 2011 after beating her primary challenger who was backed by Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear. Allies of hers say she is considering this race, but has not made a decision. Jerry Lundergan was a strong supporter of Bill Clinton, but also of Hillary Clinton's presidential bid in 2008, and they remain close.

However, the Clintons are also close to Judd, who publicly backed Hillary Clinton over then Senator Obama in 2008 and even campaigned with Bill Clinton on behalf of Hillary in March 2008. Just days before the Texas primary, Clinton and Judd campaigned together standing in the back of a pickup truck at a private airport hangar in Abilene, Texas. She entertained the crowd, while Clinton was hours late due to a lightning storm.

Two camps are emerging in Kentucky about who would make the better candidate to take on McConnell.

Grimes supporters say Judd is just too politically risky with her liberal views and support of Obama in a conservative state. They say her public pronouncements against mountaintop removal mining, as well as her residency issue (her family goes back eight generations in the state, but she currently lives in Nashville) are all reasons she wouldn't stand a chance against McConnell. His supporters are quick to point out these issues as well.

Judd backers agree that while Grimes doesn't have any political baggage, she doesn't have the fundraising ability or star power to beat McConnell.

Both groups say they are being inundated by people who support both candidates and want to see them take McConnell on.