A.G. Gancarski
The Attorney General campaign of Republican Ashley Moody got another in a long series of endorsements Thursday, with Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera backing the retired Hillsborough judge.
Lopez-Cantera is a potentially significant endorsement. Since taking over the LG office, he has been Gov. Scott’s pointman in South Florida.
“Ashley Moody is the conservative choice for Attorney General who is best qualified to continue with Pam Bondi’s legacy of keeping our streets safe, defending the Second Amendment, and ensuring those who break the law are held accountable. I am proud to endorse Ashley and am confident she will work with the next administration as well as Pam Bondi has with Governor Scott and me,” Lopez-Cantera asserted.
Moody’s statement accepting the endorsement, meanwhile, was not without rhetorical flourish.
“I am honored to receive the support of Lt. Governor Lopez-Cantera who has a distinguished conservative record of service to the State of Florida,” said Moody.
“Having worked alongside Governor Scott and Attorney General Bondi,” Moody added, “he recognizes the importance of having an Attorney General with the right background to effectively address the complex criminal justice issues facing our state.”
“As a former prosecutor and judge,” Moody concluded, “I will press forward to build on the great legacy of Attorney General Bondi combating the opioid epidemic, human trafficking, and elder abuse. I am extremely grateful for his confidence in my candidacy and I will strive every day to deserve the honor and responsibility as Florida’s Top Cop.”
Moody has amassed the preponderance of law enforcement backing, and her campaign has noted that her opponent, state Rep. Frank White, lacks prosecutorial experience. Her campaign’s media release notes support from incumbent Pam Bondi, 42 Republican Florida Sheriffs, 12 state attorneys, and police unions.
The Moody/White campaign has long since devolved into contrast ads and character assassinations. Nonetheless, both candidates continue to trot out endorsements, even as Moody’s list is more impressive to those who buy the argument that the AG is indeed “Florida’s Top Cop.”
