Ashley Brooke Moody is an American politician and attorney serving as Florida's junior United States senator since 2025. A Republican, she previously served as Florida's attorney general from 2019 to 2025 after a long legal career that included civil litigation, service as an assistant U.S. attorney in the Middle District of Florida, and election as a circuit court judge in Hillsborough County (2006–2017).
Born in Plant City, Florida, Moody earned her undergraduate degree and J.D. from the University of Florida and later an LL.M. in international law from Stetson University College of Law. She entered statewide politics in 2018, winning the attorney general race by the widest margin of any Florida statewide contest that year, and later won reelection in 2022 by a large margin.
As attorney general, Moody was a prominent legal actor in high-salience fights over health care, elections, and state ballot initiatives. She kept Florida in litigation seeking to invalidate the Affordable Care Act and repeatedly opposed recreational cannabis legalization efforts in Florida, including challenges to ballot language. She also supported President Donald Trump's post-2020 election legal strategy and joined Texas v. Pennsylvania, which sought to overturn election results in several states won by Joe Biden.
In January 2025, Governor Ron DeSantis appointed Moody to the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Marco Rubio after Rubio became secretary of state. Moody was sworn in on January 21, 2025, by Vice President JD Vance. Her appointment expires in January 2027; to remain in the Senate she must win a special election in November 2026, and she is running to keep the seat.
Right Wing Populist
Committee Assignments
Achievements
- Elected Florida Attorney General in 2018 and won reelection in 2022 by a large margin.
- Led high-profile litigation and multi-state legal efforts on federal policy disputes during her AG tenure.
- Played a central role in Florida legal challenges involving ballot initiatives, especially recreational cannabis and abortion access language fights.
- Elevated to the U.S. Senate in 2025, quickly taking seats on high-impact committees (Judiciary, HSGAC, HELP).
- Built a statewide law-and-order brand emphasizing enforcement, public safety, and aggressive legal posture.
Controversies
- Joined Texas v. Pennsylvania, a lawsuit seeking to overturn 2020 presidential election results in multiple states.
- Criticized for repeated efforts to block or narrow ballot initiatives (notably cannabis legalization and abortion access) via legal challenges to wording and process.
- Opposed broader restoration of voting rights for certain former felons and supported tying eligibility to payment of legal financial obligations.
- Accused by opponents of blurring law enforcement priorities with partisan politics during major election and culture-war moments.
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. Sworn in Jan 21, 2025
Moody was appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis and sworn in on January 21, 2025. Her appointment runs through January 2027; she must win the November 2026 special election to remain in the Senate.