On Thursday morning, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis held a press conference announcing his replacement for Marco Rubio — who will most likely become the next Secretary of State in the upcoming Donald Trump administration. Before making the announcement, he talked about issues important to Floridians and the nation, like illegal immigration, the economy, "woke" ideology, and the need to restore common sense.
There was much speculation that DeSantis might pick Trump's daughter-in-law, Lara Trump. DeSantis himself said he had a big list of "great candidates" to choose from. But when it came to making a final selection, he used a very specific list of criteria.
The governor said first and foremost he wanted someone who would "work with Trump to deliver on the mandate he earned from the American people." He also wanted someone who would "lean in on excessive spending" and who "understands federal bureaucracy has run amok." He then mentioned that the candidate must "understand the fight against illegal immigration" and be "willing to shut the border." He also said that when focusing on legal immigration, he wanted a candidate who "put Americans first."
BREAKING: DeSantis picks Florida AG Ashley Moody to replace Marco Rubio in the Senate. pic.twitter.com/gkWZOh1Xu4
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) January 16, 2025
His final criterion was choosing someone who had a "demonstrated record of delivering results" with actual actions rather than just talk. With all of that in mind, he chose Florida's current attorney general Ashley Moody.
Moody, who is 49 years old, has been the state's AG since 2019; she replaced Pam Bondi, who is currently on track to become the attorney general for the United States in the upcoming Trump administration.
She's a fifth-generation Plant City, Fla., native who earned bachelor's and master's degrees in accounting from the University of Florida. She also earned a Master of Law in international law from Stetson University and her Juris Doctor from the University of Florida School of Law. She eventually went on to work as an assistant U.S. attorney for the Middle District of Florida.
In 2006, she was elected to the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, where she served until 2017 when began her bid to become the state's AG. During her time as AG, she's fought the Affordable Care Act, urged the federal government to drop its lawsuit against Michael Flynn, and opposed allowing former felons to have their voting rights restored. She also sued the federal government over regulations that required cruise ships to have COVID-19 vaccinations.
Moody is married to Justin Duralia, a deputy chief with the Plant City Police Department, and the couple has two sons.
🚨 Big news: Governor DeSantis just announced that Florida’s next U.S. Senator will be our great Attorney General, fifth-generation Floridian, happy warrior against illegal immigration, drug dealers and trafficking, steadfast supporter of law enforcement… ASHLEY MOODY 👏 👏 👏 pic.twitter.com/qglNADr8SV
— Christina Pushaw 🐊 🇺🇸 (@ChristinaPushaw) January 16, 2025
Republicans from other states are applauding the choice of Moody as well.
.@AshleyMoodyFL is a proven conservative fighter for President @realDonaldTrump’s agenda of prosperity, safety, and security. As Attorney General, she has been a national leader on border security, a champion of safe streets, and an unyielding defender of the rights of…
— Tim Scott (@votetimscott) January 16, 2025
Moody gave remarks:
"I'm ready to show up and fight for this nation and fight for President Trump to deliver the America First agenda on Day 1."
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) January 16, 2025
Florida AG Ashley moody speaks after DeSantis chooses her to fill Marco Rubio's Senate seat. pic.twitter.com/xDNKX80tBF
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