Rick Scott endorses Ashley Moody in 2026 Senate race

Florida’s newly senior Senator is getting behind his new colleague as she prepares to face voters for that office for the first time.

U.S. Sen. Rick Scott is offering a vote of confidence for his newest colleague, U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody.

“She is a strong leader who is already bringing her battle-tested conservative record to the U.S. Senate,” Scott said.

“I’m a grandfather. Ashley is a mom. We’re both working hard every single day to leave this place better than how we found it, so that you and your family can live your American dream. And that’s why we’re working together to get President Trump’s agenda through the D.C. swamp. We want safer and stronger communities to thrive for generations to come. Ashley is making Washington work for Florida, and I’m proud to endorse her.”

Moody, meanwhile, vows to “continue working to put America First” and “support our President as we make America great again.”

Florida’s junior Senator has already leveraged relationships she built as Attorney General to roll out endorsements from State Attorneys and Sheriffs.

Moody served more than six years as Florida Attorney General, working closely with prosecutors around the state. She also served as an elected Judge and a federal prosecutor before holding statewide office.

Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Moody to the U.S. Senate earlier this year to fill a seat left vacant after former U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio was appointed as Secretary of State. But Moody must stand for election in 2026 to determine who serves the final two years of Rubio’s term.

Moody established her principal campaign committee, Moody for Florida, shortly after she took over for Rubio. A joint fundraising account, the Ashley Moody Victory Fund, was also created in January.

That committee can raise funds alongside Florida Leads, another leadership committee established in connection with Moody’s candidacy, and with the National Republican Senatorial Committee, the fundraising arm for Senate Republicans.

In her re-election bid in 2022, Moody surfed the red wave in the state, demolishing her Democratic opponent with more than 60% of the vote. Republicans maintained strong momentum in 2024’s statewide elections as well, and there is little indication that she would be particularly vulnerable from an opposition party challenge in 2026 or 2028 (the seat will be on the ballot both cycles, then won’t be contested until 2034).

However, Moody may face a Primary challenge from a credible candidate, at least if talk from U.S. Rep. Cory Mills is to be believed. He says his “hat is going to be thrown into the ring” next year.

The Governor has discouraged this rhetoric already, however, saying he doubts that any challenger to the appointee could “successfully challenge in a Republican Primary.”

These early endorsements help to make Moody the favorite.

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Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics contributed to this report.