Republican candidate for attorney general, Ashley Moody, picked up the endorsement of state Senate President Joe Negron Tuesday morning. Moody, a former judge in Hillsborough County is running to succeed Pam Bondi, who has served as attorney general since 2011 and is being forced to leave due to term limits.
“The next Attorney General of Florida should possess a keen legal mind, understand the rich history of Florida and protect the rights of all citizens of our State,” Negron said in a written statement released by the Moody campaign. “The best predictor of future success is past performance. Ashley Moody has excelled as a commercial litigator in private practice, a federal prosecutor and a state circuit court judge.”
The endorsement is just the latest in a series for Moody. Bondi has already given Moody her support, as have 37 Republican sheriffs from across the state.
In accepting Negron’s endorsement, Moody responded by saying that as the only candidate in the attorney general’s race having served as a prosecutor and judge, she would “continue to uphold the law by protecting the constitution and prosecuting criminals for a stronger, safer Florida on day one.”
Moody is one of four Republicans running for the nomination for attorney general in August. She faces Jacksonville Rep. Jay Fant, Dover Rep. Ross Spano and Pensacola Rep. Frank White in the primary.
There are two Democrats in the race — state Rep. Sean Shaw of Tampa and Central Florida attorney Ryan Torrens.
Moody, a native of Plant City who now lives in Tampa, received her law degree from Stetson University. After working as a commercial litigator, she went on to become a federal prosecutor. She was elected circuit judge of the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit in Hillsborough County in 2006 at the age of 31, making her the youngest judge in Florida.