Florida Senate race: Ashley Moody launches campaign against Alex Vindman
U.S. Senate race heating up in Florida
Sen. Ashley Moody is four months away from facing Florida voters to see if they want her to remain in the U.S. Senate. Moody, who was appointed by Governor Ron DeSantis in 2025 to replace Marco Rubio, is now seeking her first full term. FOX 13's Evan Axelbank reports.
RIVERVIEW, Fla. - Sen. Ashley Moody is four months away from facing Florida voters to see if they want her to remain in the U.S. Senate. Moody, who was appointed by Governor Ron DeSantis in 2025 to replace Marco Rubio, is now seeking her first full term.
Moody campaigns in Riverview
What we know:
Moody visited Riverview on Thursday to highlight signature federal tax cuts and address growing concerns over economic affordability. The former Florida attorney general expects to leverage her party's strong voter registration numbers and reliable turnout network during the campaign.
"I've always tried to stay mindful of what folks expect of me in this role," Moody said.
She emphasized that voters are closely tracking issues that impact their daily lives, noting that government should stay out of their way so they can innovate, prosper and build strong families.
Pictured: U.S. Senator Ashley Moody (left) and opponent Alex Vindman (right).
Polling sparks fierce debate
What they're saying:
A June poll conducted by Associated Industries of Florida showed Moody leading Vindman 47% to 40%, leaving 14% of voters undecided.
Vindman completely dismissed the findings.
"You're referring to some BS poll that was put together to make my opponent feel better about where she is," Vindman said. "All the credible polling that we've seen sees this as a margin of error race."
Historic context shapes race
The backstory:
Vindman gained national attention as the military officer who blew the whistle on Donald Trump in 2019, disclosing a call where the president threatened to withhold foreign aid from Ukraine unless investigators targeted Hunter Biden. Vindman argues that low consumer confidence and nagging inflation make the state ripe to shift from red back to purple, adding that people are voting on the person they believe will deliver for them rather than historical registration.
Moody is no stranger to tough political battles, having secured statewide victories during the 2018 and 2022 elections for attorney general. She maintained that staying focused on the job the people sent her to do will take care of the rest.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from campaign appearances and public statements made by Sen. Ashley Moody and Col. Alex Vindman, who explained their policy stances and polling perspectives, as well as historical state election data and recent tracking polls from Associated Industries of Florida.