ORLANDO, Fla. — Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody Thursday to fill U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio’s seat. Rubio has been tapped by President-elect Donald Trump to be secretary of state.
Moody, 49, won her first election in 2018 to become attorney general and was reelected 2022. She couldn’t run again due to term limits.
DeSantis made the announcement at the Rosen Plaza Hotel in Orlando.
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“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,” He said over social media. “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.
“I look forward to seeing Senator Moody fight the good fight against the entrenched interests in Washington, and I know she will be a critical part of bringing President Trump’s America First agenda to fruition.”
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In a statement, the Florida Democratic Party quickly responded to the appointment:
“As Attorney General, Ashley ignored the growing property insurance crisis and let wealthy corporations rip off Floridians. Instead, she spent her time chasing political attention and currying favor with the far right. She worked for over a year to silence the voices of Floridians who wanted Amendment 4 on the ballot, weaponizing state law and the Florida Constitution to score the political points that got her this appointment.
“As a Senator, Ashley will no doubt take her marching orders exclusively from Donald Trump with no regard for what’s best for the people of Florida — she may even just keep the seat warm until Ron runs in 2026. Ashley Moody failed Florida as Attorney General, and she’ll fail Florida in the Senate.”
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