Trump Endorses Ashley Moody for U.S. Senate in Florida's 2026 Elections
Key Takeaways
- •Donald Trump has endorsed Ashley Moody in Florida's 2026 U.S. Senate race, along with Byron Donalds for governor and several congressional candidates.
- •Latest polls show Moody narrowly leading her Democratic opponent, state Representative Angie Nixon of Jacksonville, ahead of the November 3, 2026 election.
- •Moody, a two-term Florida attorney general, was appointed to the Senate by Governor Ron DeSantis in January 2025 to fill the seat vacated by Marco Rubio when he became U.S. Secretary of State.
- •Byron Donalds, a Republican House member and longtime Trump ally, is running to succeed the term-limited DeSantis as Florida governor.
- •The endorsements may boost the endorsed candidates' visibility among Republican voters, and market pricing indicates the move could shift odds in favor of Republicans across Florida.
Former President Donald Trump has publicly endorsed a slate of Republican candidates for Florida's 2026 election cycle, headlined by his backing of Ashley Moody in the U.S. Senate race.
Trump's announcement comes as the latest polls show Moody, a Republican, leading her Democratic opponent, Angie Nixon, by a narrow margin. The endorsement package also includes support for Byron Donalds in the governor's race, along with several candidates running for congressional seats. With Election Day on November 3, 2026, days away, the former president's intervention lands in the final stretch of the campaign.
The endorsements are expected to influence the dynamics of the 2026 contests in Florida, as Trump's backing may raise the visibility of the endorsed candidates and bolster their support among Republican voters. Market pricing likewise suggests the endorsement may shift the odds in favor of Republican candidates across the state. The stakes extend beyond campaign optics: Florida voters will decide who holds a U.S. Senate seat and the governor's office, positions that carry weight in federal lawmaking and over the direction of the state's executive branch.
Candidate Background
Moody served two terms as Florida's attorney general before Governor Ron DeSantis appointed her to the U.S. Senate in January 2025, filling the seat vacated by Marco Rubio when he became U.S. Secretary of State. She now seeks to hold the seat in her first campaign since the appointment, meaning the November contest gives Florida voters their first opportunity to weigh in at the ballot box on an appointment made without a statewide vote. She enters the final stretch with a narrow polling lead over Nixon, a Democratic state representative from Jacksonville.
Donalds, a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives and a longtime Trump ally, is vying for the governor's office in the contest to succeed DeSantis, who is term-limited.
What to Watch
Observers will monitor upcoming poll results and voter turnout data to assess the impact of Trump's endorsement on the Florida elections. Shifts in polling margins and adjustments to campaign strategies could signal changes in voter sentiment. Any further endorsements or campaign rallies held by Trump could also provide insight into the evolving political landscape in the state.
Source: CryptoBriefing
