Ashley Moody, a former judge based in Hillsborough County, is hoping to keep the Florida attorney general post in Tampa Bay.
On Thursday, Moody, who was first elected to the 13th Judicial Circuit in 2006 before resigning that post in April, filed to run as a Republican in the state attorney general’s race next year when current incumbent Pam Bondi faces term limits. Bondi is also from the Tampa Bay area.
Moody’s father is James Moody, currently the senior U.S. district judge of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida who was elected to serve on Florida's Thirteenth Judicial Circuit back in 1995. In 2000, then President Bill Clinton named him to the federal bench.
As she enters the race, Moody does not have an open shot at the Republican nomination. Last month, state Rep. Jay Fant, R-Jacksonville, became the first major candidate to jump in the race. Other possible contenders for the Republican nomination include U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis and state Senate President Joe Negron.
On the Democratic side, Ryan Torrens, an attorney based out of Odessa, filed to enter the race last month. Possible other Democratic candidates include former state Sen. Rod Smith and Ft. Lauderdale Mayor Jack Seiler. Winter Park attorney Ryan Yadav, who self funded a bid to topple state Rep. Bob Cortes last year that came up short, has also expressed some interest in running for the Democratic nomination.
Nancy Watkins, a Tampa Bay accountant, will serve as Moody’s treasurer. Watkins is a familiar face in Florida politics, serving as a delegate at last year’s Republican national convention and has served as treasurer for scores of Republican campaigns across Florida.
