Ashley Moody builds Senate staff, hiring Justin Roth, Whitney Ray

Ashley Moody, Whitney Ray. Image via LinkedIn.

U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody is making her first major hires after arriving in Washington.

The Plant City Republican is bringing on Justin Roth as Chief of Staff and keeping Whitney Ray as her Florida State Director. The hires were first reported by POLITICO.

Roth, according to his LinkedIn, most recently worked as Chief of Staff to former U.S. Sen. Martha McSally, an Arizona Republican. But Florida observers will remember he worked as Chief of Staff to Ron DeSantis during the Governor’s time in the U.S. House from 2013 to 2015. He remains a member of Florida State University’s Board of Trustees.

The Miami native and FSU alum most recently worked as a partner at LINK Public Affairs, a political consulting company.

“Throughout his tenure, Justin has leveraged his experience in public policy and communications to advise representatives and shepherd major legislative victories,” his official bio with the firm says. “He has overseen virtually every aspect of the legislative and policy process, with expertise in the areas of financial services, foreign affairs, and press and legislative operations. During his time as a Chief of Staff, he also oversaw the political operations of each Member he served.”

Ray, meanwhile, worked for Moody in the Florida Attorney General’s Office, most recently as Deputy Chief of Staff and for four years as her Communications Director. He also worked in that office as Media Relations Director under former Attorney General Pam Bondi, Trump’s nominee for U.S. Attorney General.

He recently posted about Moody’s tenure and future on LinkedIn.

“AG Moody’s love of Florida and passion for the rule of law inform all of her decisions,” he wrote. “I know she will take that same drive and determination to Washington D.C. as she serves the citizens of this great state and nation as the next U.S. Senator from Florida.