Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody Appointed to U.S. Senate
In a significant political shift, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody has been appointed to fill Marco Rubio’s seat in the U.S. Senate, as announced by Governor Ron DeSantis. This marks Moody as only the second woman to represent Florida in the Senate.
Having been elected in 2018 as Florida’s Attorney General, Moody positioned herself as a staunch law enforcement advocate, promising to act as a prosecutor rather than a politician. Her political profile rose alongside Governor DeSantis during the COVID-19 pandemic, where she urged federal accountability for the outbreak.
Governor DeSantis commended Moody for her contributions to his political initiatives, recognizing her role in efforts to support Donald Trump’s agenda, including border security and federal reforms. Moody expressed her readiness for the Senate role, stating, “I’m ready to show up and fight for this nation and fight for President Trump to deliver the America First agenda on Day 1.”
Prior to her statewide office run, Moody served as a federal prosecutor and was elected as a circuit judge in Hillsborough County in 2006. A native of Plant City, Moody has deep roots in Florida, being a fifth-generation resident and a former queen of the city’s strawberry festival. She holds three degrees from the University of Florida and shares two sons with her husband, a law enforcement officer.
Throughout her tenure as Attorney General, Moody has been a pivotal figure in defending conservative policies in Florida and has joined other Republican-led states in challenging federal policies on issues like immigration enforcement and vaccine mandates.
DeSantis praised Moody’s alignment with shared state values, saying, “I’m happy to say we’ve had an Attorney General that is somebody that has acted time and time again to support the values that we all share.”
Moody’s Senate appointment follows Trump’s selection of Rubio for the position of secretary of state. Under Florida law, the governor is responsible for appointing a replacement, with Moody set to serve until the next general election in 2026.
Despite her recent Senate appointment, Moody’s legal battles on issues such as abortion rights and her involvement in the lawsuit to overturn Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory highlight her contentious political journey.
With the Republican majority in the Senate slightly diminished, Moody’s role becomes crucial in upcoming Trump Cabinet nomination hearings. Her appointment also opens a key position in Florida’s Cabinet, providing Governor DeSantis another opportunity to influence state governance.
State Senator Joe Gruters, a prominent Trump supporter, initially favored Lara Trump for the Senate seat but acknowledged Moody’s popularity and effectiveness in maintaining Florida’s security.
This development coincides with DeSantis’s impending decision on appointing a new Chief Financial Officer, following Jimmy Patronis’s departure to seek a congressional seat.
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