Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Attorney General Ashley Moody as the next U.S. senator from Florida on Thursday, replacing outgoing Sen. Marco Rubio.
DeSantis reiterated that Republicans in Congress must support President-elect Donald Trump’s agenda and “restore basic American principles.”
He said that his prime criteria for the appointment was someone who would work with Trump, vote against excessive spending and cut spending, who “understands” the troubling expansion of federal bureaucracy, and who supports intense measures to crack down on both illegal and legal immigration.
DeSantis said his “final criteria” was someone with a “demonstrated record” on those issues.
The governor went on a long list of Moody’s actions as attorney general and her opposition to left-wing stances on issues over the years.
He also highlighted her support for Trump and opposition to weaponization of government.
Rubio was tapped by Trump to serve as secretary of state and faced a confirmation hearing before a Senate committee on Wednesday. Rubio is expected to have an easy path to confirmation to Trump’s cabinet.
Earlier this week Moody was the leading contender for the seat – a staunch DeSantis ally who endorsed his presidential campaign one day after it launched in 2023.
From 2021 to the present, the attorney general has frequently litigated against the Biden administration’s policies, attacking the federal government’s actions on the southern border, student loan forgiveness, Title IX changes, and more.
Moody was first elected attorney general in 2018 alongside DeSantis and then went on to win a strong reelection in 2022. In that election, Moody received more votes statewide than any other candidate.
Though a DeSantis backer in the GOP primary, Moody promptly backed Trump after DeSantis dropped out of the race, and remains a vehement supporter of the incoming president.
Moody also supported DeSantis’ special session call this week to help enforce Trump’s deportations.
Last week, Moody and a coalition of other state attorneys general officially backed Trump’s plans to secure the border.
The attorney general also sued FEMA officials after reports emerged of the agency discriminating against the homes of Trump supporters after hurricane damage in 2024.
Over the summer, during the 2024 campaign, Moody filed a brief in opposition to the hush money case in New York that was brought against Trump and ultimately concluded.
Other efforts from the attorney general in support of Trump include working to target the would-be assassin of Trump in Palm Beach and recently supporting his nominee for attorney general, Pam Bondi.