Jacob Ogles
Attorney General James Uthmeier formally filed to run for a full term in his Cabinet post.
The Tallahassee Republican filed days after he took his oath after being appointed to the job by Gov. Ron DeSantis. Uthmeier served as the Governor’s Chief of Staff and, before that, as his General Counsel. For a period of time, he managed DeSantis’ presidential campaign last year.
“On my first day, I made a promise to Floridians that I would endeavor every day to keep doing what is right and levy justice where it was due. I plan to keep that promise,” Uthmeier said. “I will win this election and keep Florida safe, strong, and free.”
He is currently serving out the term of former Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, whom DeSantis appointed to the U.S. Senate last month. That job opened after former U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio’s appointment as Secretary of State.
That means less than two years after taking on the job, he will stand for election to a full four-year term. However, the positive side for Uthmeier could be the opportunity to serve in the job for nearly a decade before term limits prohibit a bid, presuming he can win full terms in 2026 and 2030.
Uthmeier submitted his paperwork for office on Monday and named Rich Heitmeyer his campaign treasurer. The statewide campaign marks the first time Uthmeier himself will run for office.
So far, he’s the only candidate to run for the Attorney General post, though that could change. Regardless, he could enjoy the benefits of incumbency, serving as Florida’s top legal officer into next year’s Republican Primary and General Election.
At the same time, President Donald Trump preemptively endorsed candidates for Governor and Chief Financial Officer, announcing his preference respectively for Byron Donalds and for Joe Gruters before either formally entered their races. The President has made no such preference clear for the Attorney General in his home state.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, a former Florida Attorney General, also revealed this weekend that she had considered running for the post before Trump appointed her to her current post. Other candidates rumored to be considering a run include former Florida House Speakers Chris Sprowls and Paul Renner and former U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz.
Thanks to his experience managing statewide campaigns, Uthmeier could enjoy a fundraising edge. Earlier this month, he launched the political committee Friends of James Uthmeier in anticipation of his statewide run.
He also chairs the still-active Florida Freedom Fund, which last year campaigned successfully to defeat ballot measures that sought to expand access to abortions and marijuana. That committee closed 2024 with over $2.11 million cash on hand, though DeSantis has signaled he would like to use that committee to weigh in during Republican Primary elections next year.
Uthmeier previously chaired Keep Florida Clean, Inc., which focused last year on defeating the marijuana ballot measure. That committee was disbanded last week but has not yet released its final expenditure reports. A disbandment letter said all remaining funding, about $121,000 as of the end of 2024, will be distributed into a 527 political organization.
