Josh Weil launches 2026 U.S. Senate bid against Ashley Moody | FOX 51 Gainesville
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Josh Weil launches 2026 U.S. Senate bid against Ashley Moody

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Published  June 18, 2025 11:17pm EDT
Politics
FOX 35 Orlando

The Brief

    • Democrat Josh Weil announced a 2026 U.S. Senate run against GOP incumbent Ashley Moody.
    • Weil criticized rising living costs and accused Moody of prioritizing politics over people.
    • Republicans dismissed his campaign, calling him a "failed congressional candidate."

ORLANDO, Fla. - Just months after an unsuccessful bid for a seat in the U.S. House, Democrat Josh Weil announced Wednesday that he will try to unseat Republican U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody 2026. 

What we know:

Democrat Josh Weil, a former U.S. House candidate and educator, announced on Wednesday that he will run for the U.S. Senate in 2026, aiming to unseat Republican incumbent Ashley Moody. 

Moody, Florida’s former attorney general, was appointed to the Senate seat in January by Gov. Ron DeSantis after Sen. Marco Rubio resigned to become U.S. Secretary of State. Weil’s campaign focuses on rising costs for Floridians and what he describes as political inaction.

OCALA, FLORIDA - MARCH 26: Democratic nominee Josh Weil greets people during a campaign stop at the Silver Springs Shores Community Center on March 26, 2025 in Ocala, Florida. Polls show that Mr. Weil is within the margin of error in defeating Republ

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What we don't know:

It remains unclear whether Weil will face a Democratic primary challenger or if other Republicans will contest Moody’s seat. Also unknown is how competitive the race will be statewide, given Florida’s recent rightward shift and the GOP's dominance in statewide elections. Voter enthusiasm for Weil, who lost his last race in a solidly red district, will also be tested on a larger stage.

The backstory:

Weil ran in an April 1 special election for Florida’s 6th Congressional District but lost to Republican Randy Fine. Despite the loss, Democratic leaders pointed to Weil’s relative strength in the heavily Republican district as a sign of potential. He gained visibility during that campaign, which he now hopes to leverage in his statewide Senate bid.

What they're saying:

Weil launched a campaign website this week. 

"I’m running because Floridians are suffering," Weil wrote in his campaign announcement. "Rent, health care, gas, home insurance — everything is more expensive than ever and politicians are making it worse. Ashley Moody is putting politics over Floridians."

In response, the Republican Party of Florida dismissed Weil’s candidacy, calling him "a failed congressional candidate."

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The Source: This story was written based on information shared by Josh Weil for Senate, the Republican Party of Florida, and the News Service of Florida.

 

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