DeSantis Announces Ashley Moody Will Fill Marco Rubio's Seat in The U.S. Senate

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced on Thursday that state Attorney General Ashley Moody will fill Marco Rubio's seat in the U.S. Senate once he gets confirmed to be Secretary of State in the Donald Trump administration.

"This is a time for action, and a time for Washington D.C. to deliver results to the American people" in a press conference in Orlando. He added that Moody has a "demonstrated record of delivering results." She beat other candidates including Lara Trump, who had openly pitched herself for the job and resigned from her post as co-chair of the Republican National Committee in the process.

"I want somebody that's going to work with President Trump on the mandate he has earned from the American people. Somebody who is going to lean in against excessive spending and stop inflation, somebody that understands that the federal bureaucracy has ran amok, it must be held to account. Somebody who understand the fight against illegal immigration, is willing to shut the border and, importantly, make sure that any legal immigration is putting Americans first," DeSantis added when announcing his decision.

Moody, on her end, promised DeSantis to not let him down. "I will not let the citizens of Florida down and I will not let my country down," she added. She went on to say she is "ready to show and fight up for this nation and fight for President Trump to deliver the America First agenda on day one."

Moody is set to hold the post until 2026, the end of Rubio's term. Moody is both a staunch Trump and DeSantis supporter, pushing their agenda through legislative means. She has held a high public profile, repeatedly appearing on interviews with national outlets, especially conservative-leaning ones.

She has been in her post since 2018 and has sued the Biden administration in different occasions, having done so at least nine times since 2023, according to the Tampa Bay Times. Among them are one aimed at stopping a federal rule requiring background checks at gun shows and preventing federal pandemic safety rules for cruise companies operating in Florida.

Her appointment clears the way for DeSantis to appoint his chief of staff, James Uthmeier, as the next Florida Attorney General. It also sets up political clashes for 2026 as both the governor's office and a U.S. Senate seat will be up for grabs. Rep. Cory Mills has already announced he will run to be the next senator, while former Rep. Matt Gaetz said he's considering running for governor. Rep. Byron Donalds is also filling out a political team to run for the office next year.