EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis appointed state attorney general Ashley Moody to fill Marco Rubio's vacant U.S. Senate seat.
Florida Sen. Ashley Moody, the former state attorney general appointed to fill the vacancy left by Marco Rubio’s elevation to secretary of state, has emerged as a leading conservative voice in the U.S. Senate and a strong contender in the 2026 special election to keep the seat.
Moody easily defeated Chris Gleason, Neelam Perry, and Ernie Rivera, but the race was widely regarded as noncompetitive.