With Attorney General Ashley Moody headed to the U.S. Senate to replace Marco Rubio, who will be Secretary of State in the Donald Trump administration, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced that his Chief of Staff will become the state’s new top cop.
“My Chief of Staff, James Uthmeier, is kind of like Ashley. He’s proven himself in these fights,” DeSantis said in Orlando.
“I think he’s got big shoes to fill, but I think he’ll do a good job doing that. So you can anticipate that. I’m not going to make any appointment before it’s available, but I think that’s something that will happen,” DeSantis added.
The pick isn’t official yet, but Uthmeier had this to say Thursday.
“I’m honored and humbled to be appointed by Gov. DeSantis as the next Attorney General of the Free State of Florida. I’m excited to get to work, build on Ashley Moody’s fine record, help enact the Donald Trump agenda, and defend our people, our constitution, and our Florida way of life!”
The announcement is the latest advancement in a strong career in public service for the AG to be.
Uthmeier was appointed Chief of Staff in September 2021. He had been General Counsel since October 2020 and first began working in Gov. DeSantis’ legal office as Deputy General Counsel in March 2019.
He took breaks from the official position to help DeSantis’ campaign for President in 2023, serving as manager of the presidential effort. Uthmeier was also pivotal in the Governor’s efforts to stop amendments that would have removed state abortion restrictions and legalized adult-use recreational marijuana in 2024.
Uthmeier, a Destin native, received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Florida before getting his law degree from the Georgetown University Law Center.
Before joining the DeSantis administration, Uthmeier served as a senior adviser and counsel to U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and an associate at the law firm Jones Day.
The office is open in 2026, but the DeSantis appointee has the inside track.
Political insiders are enthusiastic about the pick.
“With James Uthmeier as Attorney General, Florida has the best of both worlds: he understands the law and he gets the politics,” said Republican Party of Florida Chairman Evan Power. “As an accomplished attorney, General Counsel in Governor DeSantis’s legal office, and Chief of Staff, James has excelled in implementing the policies that make our state shine. He will defend our Constitution and continue the good fight to ensure that Florida remains a law-and-order state where individuals and families can continue to grow and prosper.”
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Florida Politics staff contributed to this report.
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