Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody has been selected by Gov. Ron DeSantis to fill the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Marco Rubio, making her only the second woman to represent the state in the chamber.
DeSantis announced Moody’s appointment at an Orlando news conference, praising her as a “law and order” leader prepared to address border security, inflation, and federal overreach. Moody, who faced minimal opposition in her previous role, was sworn in on January 21, 2025, by Vice President JD Vance.
Under Florida law, the Republican governor holds the authority to fill Senate vacancies. Moody will serve through a special election scheduled for 2026 to complete the remainder of Rubio’s term, which ends January 3, 2027.
Background on Moody’s Career
Moody was born March 28, 1975, in Plant City and holds degrees in accounting and law from the University of Florida, plus an advanced law degree from Stetson University. She began her legal career as a commercial litigator before joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, where she prosecuted drug, firearm, and fraud cases.
At age 31, she became Florida’s youngest circuit court judge in 2006, serving Hillsborough County’s Thirteenth Judicial Circuit until 2017. She was elected Florida’s 38th attorney general in 2018 and took office in January 2019.
Record as Attorney General
During her tenure as attorney general, Moody built a national conservative profile by suing the Biden administration on border policies, pandemic mandates, student loan forgiveness, and state sovereignty issues. She secured multibillion-dollar settlements from pharmaceutical companies over the opioid crisis and chaired Florida’s council combating human trafficking.
Moody championed law enforcement recruitment, Second Amendment protections, and religious liberty rights. DeSantis highlighted her “demonstrated record of delivering results” when announcing her Senate appointment.
Senate Path and Endorsements
DeSantis simultaneously named his chief of staff, James Uthmeier, to succeed Moody as attorney general. Moody will campaign in the August 2026 Republican primary and November special election to retain the seat.
President Trump gave Moody his “Complete and Total Endorsement,” stating she would “never let you down” and praising her work on border security, economic growth, and military strength. Fellow Florida Sen. Rick Scott, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville, and numerous law enforcement organizations have also backed her candidacy.
