Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) appointed state attorney general Ashley Moody to replace Sen. Marco Rubio (R) ahead of Rubio's expected resignation to become incoming President Donald Trump's Secretary of State.

Rubio is widely expected to be confirmed by his colleagues in the Senate after Trump is inaugurated on Monday.

DeSantis said Thursday, "So this is something that I thought about long and hard. We did a lot of research. We got a number of great candidates throughout the state of Florida, and many of them, I think, could have done a good job. But the final criteria I used was because you can say all those things and say you stand for it — I wanted somebody with a demonstrated record of delivering results on those important issues. Talk is cheap."

"We need people that have demonstrated fidelity to these principles with their actions. So that is why today I'm proud to announce that I am selecting our Attorney General, Ashley Moody, to serve as our next U.S. senator," he told those in attendance.

Moody's response

"Thank you so much. I will bring the same persistence and passion and tenacity as a United States senator that I have brought as Florida's Attorney General," she said.

"If you have worked with me and fought with me over the last six years, you know, I don't think of this as a job. I think of it as a calling," she added.

Another possible contender for the seat that was initially endorsed by Trump and others was Lara Trump, his daughter-in-law, but she withdrew her name from consideration last month.

Florida's other Senator, Rick Scott (R), also supported Lara Trump initially, but congratulated Moody after DeSantis's announcement.

"I welcome @AGAshleyMoody to the United States Senate! Ashley has done an incredible job fighting for Floridians and keeping our communities safe as Attorney General. I have no doubt she will do an incredible job as senator!" he said on X.

Quick turnaround

DeSantis said he expected to appoint Moody on the afternoon of January 20, the same day Trump is inaugurated.

"We anticipate Senator Rubio to get confirmed very quickly after the inauguration of the 47th president, President Trump," he said.

Thanking Rubio for his time as senator, DeSantis said, "I want to thank Senator Rubio for his service in the United States Senate. I think he will serve the country ably as Secretary of State and, we need it, because the last four years has been a total disaster under the Biden-Harris administration."

Moody has been a strong ally of DeSantis in Florida and helped him defend some of his controversial policies there.

She will be a strong ally of Trump in the Senate and represent her state well.