Gov. Desantis chooses Florida AG Ashely Moody to replace Rubio in US Senate
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody will take Marco Rubio’s seat in the U.S. Senate, Gov. Ron DeSantis determined.
Rubio is expected to give up his Senate seat as early as Monday pending his…

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody will take Marco Rubio’s seat in the U.S. Senate, Gov. Ron DeSantis determined.
Rubio is expected to give up his Senate seat as early as Monday pending his confirmation as Secretary of State in President Donald Trump’s second administration.
In making the announcement DeSantis said he wanted to appoint someone who would confirm Supreme Court justices in the mold of Justice Clarence Thomas and Justice Samuel Alito, who would fight the “woke” agenda of progressives, who would cut inflationary spending and big bureaucracy, secure the border, and finally, someone with a track record that “demonstrated fidelity to these principles with their actions.”
“So that is why today, I’m proud to announce that I am selecting our Attorney General, Ashley Moody, to serve as our next U.S. Senator,” added DeSantis.
The governor noted Moody’s strong Florida roots.
Moody, 49, a native of Plant City, Florida, graduated from the University of Florida and has appeared on the statewide ballot twice.
She “even was named queen of the famous Strawberry Festival in her youth,” DeSantis quipped about the hometown honor awarded Moody in 1993.
“I will not let you down. I will not let the citizens of Florida down and I will not let my country down,” Moody said at the news conference in Orlando, according to the Tallahassee Democrat. “I will bring the same persistence and passion and tenacity as a United States Senator that I have brought as Attorney General.”
Moody is seen as a strong ally of both Trump and DeSantis. DeSantis said on social media he wanted to select someone who would share Trump’s legislative agenda.
“Florida deserves a senator who stands unapologetically for conservative principles, supports law enforcement, has a strong record of combatting illegal immigration, and is ready to deliver on President Trump’s agenda,” said DeSantis on X. “Attorney General Ashley Moody’s exemplary track record shows her commitment to these principles. A fifth-generation Floridian, she has served the people of Florida honorably as a prosecutor, judge, and Attorney General.”
In the 2022 statewide election, Moody polled 177,000 more votes in the Attorney General’s race than Rubio did in the U.S. Senate race.
Her popularity statewide likely figured into the DeSantis decision.
In 2026, Moody will have to face the voters in a special election to hold on to the Senate seat, said Politico.
The selection pleased Trump ally Rep. Byron Donalds, who reportedly is organizing a campaign to replace DeSantis as Florida’s chief executive when the governor’s term ends in 2027.
“I applaud Governor DeSantis on his selection of Attorney General Ashley Moody as our state’s next U.S. Senator and look forward to working with her in the halls of Congress as we fight to Make America Great Again,” said Donalds.
The Tallahassee Democrat reported DeSantis will name his chief of staff, James Uthmeier, as Moody’s replacement as Florida’s AG once the Rubio nomination has been confirmed by the Senate.