Washington — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Thursday that Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody will replace Marco Rubio, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for secretary of state, in the Senate.
“Today I am proud to announce that I am selecting our attorney general, Ashley Moody, to serve as our next U.S. senator,” DeSantis said at a news conference in Orlando, saying she’s “honorably served our people” during her time as the state’s top law enforcement officer.
“These are always significant appointments, but I think right now appointments like these are more significant than ever,” DeSantis said. “This is a time for action and a time for Washington, D.C., to deliver results for the American people.”
DeSantis called Trump’s victory in the 2024 election “remarkable,” saying he earned a “mandate for change.”
“No more business as usual in Washington, D.C.,” DeSantis added.
The Florida governor emphasized border security as part of that mandate, saying Florida would be working with the Trump administration to make sure immigration laws are enforced.
DeSantis outlined his criteria for the Senate appointment Thursday, saying he wanted someone who would deliver on Trump’s agenda, commit to cutting spending, understand that federal bureaucracy has “run amok” and understand “the fight against illegal immigration.”
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Moody, 49, has served as Florida’s attorney general since 2019. DeSantis touted Moody’s “impressive resume” as a commercial litigator and federal prosecutor, noting that she became Florida’s youngest circuit court judge in 2007. The Florida governor said Moody has been someone who “has acted time and time again to support the values that we all share,” from addressing the opioid and fentanyl crisis to illegal immigration and human trafficking.
DeSantis also pointed to Moody’s track record of supporting the president-elect, noting that she signed on to lawsuits to “take on the weaponization of law enforcement that targeted then-candidate Donald Trump,” took on special counsel Jack Smith and fought back against New York Attorney General Letitia James. He also noted that Moody led the state investigation into the second assassination attempt against Trump in Palm Beach, Florida.
Senate vacancies in Florida are filled by an appointment by the governor, who selects a replacement to serve until the next statewide election. DeSantis’ appointment means Moody will be expected to hold the seat until a special election can be held in 2026. The winner of the 2026 election would serve the remainder of Rubio’s term, meaning that person would have to run for election again in 2028.
The announcement comes after months of speculation about who could fill the seat. A number of possibilities have emerged for DeSantis to appoint, including Trump’s daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, who until recently was the co-chair of the Republican National Committee. Last month, she said she was removing herself from consideration.
DeSantis’ chief of staff James Uthmeier and Florida Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez had also been floated, as had former Florida House Speaker Jose Olivia.
The Florida governor said shortly after Rubio’s selection that there had been “strong interest from several possible candidates,” noting that his office would conduct extensive vetting and candidate interviews.
“Florida deserves a Senator who will help President Trump deliver on his election mandate, be strong on immigration and border security, take on the entrenched bureaucracy and administrative state, reverse the nation’s fiscal decline, be animated by conservative principles, and has a proven record of results,” DeSantis said in a post on X.
Trump tapped Rubio, who has represented Florida in the Senate since 2011, for the Cabinet post in November. The 53-year-old China hawk has extensive foreign policy experience and is expected to have among the smoothest paths to confirmation in the Senate. He appeared at his confirmation hearing this week, and is expected to resign from the Senate when Trump is sworn in next week.
