Gov. Ron DeSantis’ announcement that he’s appointing Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody to fill the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Marco Rubio places the 49-year-old Plant City native in an exotic locale far from home.

Moody, whom Gov. Ron DeSantis announced as the replacement for future Secretary of State Marco Rubio once the exiting Senator is confirmed by his soon-to-be-former colleagues next week, will be buoyed by the eponymous Moody for Florida committee, according to Federal Election Commission records.

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody will succeed Marco Rubio in the U.S. Senate, Governor Ron DeSantis announced Thursday.

Florida GOP leaders welcomed Gov. Ron DeSantis’ appointment of Attorney General Ashley Moody to fill Marco Rubio’s soon-to-be vacant seat in the U.S. Senate Thursday, calling her a “conservative warrior” and praising her attention to immigration laws.

DeSantis said he wanted an appointee who would be strong on immigration enforcement, support cutting the federal bureaucracy and fight “the woke agenda.”

TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Ron DeSantis chose Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody to be the state’s next senator, serving out the final two years of Sen. Marco Rubio’s term. In an Orlando press conference, DeSantis said Moody had “a demonstrated record of delivering results” against immigration and other issues.

Gov. Ron DeSantis praised Moody, who has served as Florida's attorney general since 2019, for fighting against policies he described as part of the Democratic Party's "woke agenda."

With Vice President-elect JD Vance the early frontrunner in the race for the 2028 GOP presidential nomination, how do other potential contenders stay in the political spotlight?

Letters

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody was named Thursday by Gov. Ron DeSantis to replace U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, who is in line to become

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) said Thursday that his state's attorney general, Ashley Moody, will replace Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) in the Senate after he is confirmed as secretary of state.