Ashley Moody served as Florida's Attorney General from 2019 to 2025, where she built a brand as an aggressive legal combatant for the DeSantis administration on culture-war, federal authority, and public safety fights.
On January 21, 2025, Governor Ron DeSantis appointed her to the U.S. Senate to fill the vacancy created when Marco Rubio left office. She became Florida’s second female U.S. senator and immediately aligned herself with the hard-line conservative wing on border enforcement, criminal justice, and federal overreach.
As AG, Moody sued the Biden administration over immigration policy, fought vaccine and mask mandates, challenged abortion protections, and tried to block both recreational marijuana and abortion-rights ballot initiatives from even reaching voters. She also pushed anti-trafficking enforcement and touted opioid settlement money for treatment and naloxone distribution.
In Washington, Moody is positioning herself as a "law-and-order populist" — tough on crime, unapologetically pro-police, and openly hostile to what she calls federal "weaponization" against conservatives. She’s expected to run in the November 2026 special election to keep the seat.
Right Wing Populist
Achievements
- Secured opioid settlement funds for Florida and promoted statewide naloxone access
- Led multi-state lawsuits on immigration enforcement and federal vaccine mandates
- Blocked marijuana legalization and abortion-rights ballot language in court
- Championed “Back the Blue” initiatives and high-profile anti-trafficking enforcement efforts
- Elevated to the U.S. Senate as a trusted DeSantis-aligned prosecutor of federal overreach
Controversies
- Criticized for blocking voter initiatives on marijuana and abortion access before they reached the ballot
- Joined an amicus effort supporting attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results
- Accused by opponents of blurring law enforcement with partisan politics
- Framed by Democrats as extending “DeSantis culture war” tactics to the federal level
Top Donors
| Donor | Total | Individuals | PACs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida Republican Party | $1,126,334 | — | — |
| Public Fund | $291,333 | — | — |
| US Sugar | $12,000 | $12,000 | $0 |
| The Villages | $9,000 | $9,000 | $0 |
| Florida Medical Association | $9,000 | $9,000 | $0 |
Amounts shown reflect organization-linked giving; most funds listed here are from individual donors or aligned PACs.
Appointment & Upcoming Election
2025 Appt. Appointed Jan 21, 2025
2026 Special Faces special election
Moody was appointed on January 21, 2025, to fill the vacancy created when Sen. Marco Rubio left office. She is expected to run in November 2026 in a special election to serve the remainder of the term.