With less than a year to go until the Republican Primary for the 2026 Election, and just 10 months after Ashley Moody accepted Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ appointment to the U.S. Senate, Moody’s replacement, James Uthmeier, is already receiving endorsements for the GOP nomination.
Earlier today on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, Uthmeier announced that 51 of Florida’s 67 sheriffs have already endorsed his 2026 campaign. The 2026 Primary Election Date is Aug. 18, 2026, and Uthmeier has yet to face any GOP opponents whom the majority of Republican voters across the state would recognize.
It’s an honor to have the early support of so many Florida Sheriffs as we head towards next year’s election.
— James Uthmeier (@JamesUthmeierFL) October 7, 2025
Florida is the safest big state in the country to raise a family because of their tough-on-crime approach to law enforcement. We have the best sheriffs in the country! pic.twitter.com/Kh2GqTzVvA
On the Democratic side, the heavy favorite to win the nomination is former State Sen. José Javier Rodríguez. Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Nikki Fried will have a serious challenge to make it a close contest.
The most recent Democratic Florida Attorney General was Bob Butterworth, who Butterworth held office more than two decades ago, and resigned before the end of his term in late 2002 in order to run for the Florida Senate. To avoid leaving the Attorney General’s office vacant, former Gov. Jeb Bush appointed Republican Richard Doran, who was then Deputy Attorney General, as an Interim Attorney General to fill the remainder of Butterworth’s term. Doran was ultimately replaced by then-Republican rising star Charlie Crist, who was elected along with Bush’s re-election in 2002.
