Junior Florida senator welcomes convention attendees to Tampa on first day of General Sessions.
Ashley Moody is the second-newest member of the U.S. Senate – a fact she reminded attendees of the 106th American Legion National Convention in Tampa, Fla., of more than once – but she has hit the ground running. A Republican and Florida native, she was appointed to the office in January by Gov. Ron DeSantis when her predecessor, Marco Rubio, was named Secretary of State. She is also an attorney, and former judge and state attorney general.
The first dignitary to address the convention floor on Tuesday, Moody started off with a welcome “to the great free state of Florida … It is such an honor to be here.” She described what she and her co-legislators have done and are doing in Washington for veterans and the country (Moody serves on the Homeland Security, Aging, Economic, Judiciary, and Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) committees), then compared it to what Legionnaires have done during their service and continue to do today “with courage, service, integrity and commitment.”
Veterans’ issues are “top of my mind,” she stated – not least because her older son is currently serving in the Army; “Honoring our veterans, not just in Florida but across the country, is something we should all be doing.” She encouraged attendees to “continue to lead the nation” by running for public office, and exhorted them near the close of her address, in all their efforts, to “keep it up!”
- Convention