Ashley Moody formally files to run for her U.S. Senate seat in 2026

Ashley Moody seeks to slow the flow of Cuban migrants to the U.S.

U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody has formally filed as a candidate seeking another two years in the Senate in 2026.

The Plant City Republican submitted her statement of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission. Meanwhile, a political committee that supported Moody’s two successful runs for Florida Attorney General has emptied its coffers and donated nearly $3.85 million to a state committee.

Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Moody in January to replace former U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio after his confirmation as Secretary of State. Moody will hold the seat until the 2026 election, which will determine who serves the remaining two years of Rubio’s term.

In filing for the federal office, Moody established Moody For Florida as her principal campaign committee. The moves formally make the recent Senate appointee a candidate for federal office for the first time.

The committee was formed in January, but takes on new significance now that Moody has filed her candidacy and designated that as her official committee.

A joint fundraising account, the Ashley Moody Victory Fund, was also created in January. That committee can raise funds alongside Florida Leads, a leadership committee also established in connection with Moody’s candidacy, and with the National Republican Senatorial Committee, the fundraising arm for Senate Republicans.

Tampa political accountant Kirsten Quick of Crosby Ottenhoff Group has been named as the committee’s official Treasurer and custodian of records for all the Moody-connected committees. All those committees are keeping deposits at the Chain Bridge Bank in McLean, Virginia.

As Moody turns her attention to her run for federal office, Friends of Ashley Moody, a state committee that supported her previous runs for state office, formally disbanded on Feb. 18. Before doing so, the committee contributed almost $3.85 million to the Protect Florida PAC.

Like Friends of Ashley Moody, the committee is chaired by Melanie Bonanno with Rich Heitmeyer serving as Treasurer.

While the Friends account at one point seemed poised to support a potential run for Governor for Moody, it could not support a campaign for federal office.

Notably, the Protect Florida committee, which was formed in 2023, must focus on state and local races in Florida. Moody had previously filed paperwork allowing her to solicit donations for the Protect Florida committee but withdrew that in January following her Senate appointment. But a website for the committee still says it is associated with Moody.

Expenditures reported by Protect Florida include $17,500 spent with Tallahassee firm Image Management on media consulting and advertising. They also show $5,000 spent with Seneca Strategies, a Virginia firm founded by Tucker Obenshain, who previously worked with DeSantis’ presidential campaign.