Breaking: DeSantis Announces Florida AG Ashley Moody Will Take Marco Rubio’s Senate Seat

janvier 16, 2025

Florida governor Ron DeSantis announced Thursday that Florida attorney general Ashley Moody will fill the Senate seat vacated by Senator Marco Rubio, who is expected to be confirmed in the coming days as President-elect Donald Trump’s secretary of state.

DeSantis’s announcement is expected to set off a chain reaction among Florida Republicans as the governor’s mansion and the attorney general office open up in 2026. DeSantis is expected to select his chief of staff James Uthmeier to replace Moody as AG, according to Axios.

Moody was first elected Florida attorney general in 2018 and easily won reelection in 2022, a midterm year that saw overwhelming margins of victory for Florida Republicans. She vigorously fought against the unsuccessful Florida ballot measure in 2024 that would have enshrined a right abortion. She has also waged numerous legal challenges against the Biden administration on issues such as illegal immigration, gun rights, energy regulations, and student loan debt forgiveness.

Initially, Trump’s daughter-in-law Lara was subject to speculation about potentially taking the seat, but she withdrew her name from consideration during Christmastime. The president-elect was largely quiet about who he wanted to fill the seat, and played golf with DeSantis Tuesday as the Rubio decision loomed.

Rubio appeared before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Wednesday for a confirmation hearing about his plans to handle the growing number of threats to national security worldwide inherited from the outgoing Biden administration.

The hearing lacked fireworks because of Rubio’s deep qualifications and knowledge of foreign policy stemming from his membership on the Senate intelligence and foreign relations committees. Rubio emphasized the need for the U.S. to combat the Chinese Communist Party while reiterating the U.S.’s support for Israel and the difficulties of negotiating a peace deal to end the war in Ukraine.

Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin (D., Ill.) announced Monday he will be supporting Rubio’s confirmation, a sign that Rubio’s colleagues will vote overwhelmingly to make him the next Secretary of State.

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DeSantis Announces Florida AG Ashley Moody Will Take Marco Rubio’s Senate Seat

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