James Uthmeier was sworn in as Florida Attorney General Monday, after Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) appointed him to the office vacated by now-Sen. Ashley Moody (R-FL).
Moody had been the state’s Attorney General until last month, when DeSantis appointed her to replace now-Secretary of State Marco Rubio in the Senate, and announced his intention to appoint Uthmeier to replace Moody. On Monday, Uthmeier was officially sworn in as the state’s next lead prosecutor.
Uthmeier, DeSantis’s former chief of staff in the governor’s office, was hailed by the governor as a “bulldog” in his administration ahead of the swearing in ceremony in Tallahassee.
“This was not a very difficult decision for me to put James as the next attorney general, because I know he’s got the foundation. I know he’s got the proper worldview,” DeSantis said at the swearing in ceremony.
Uthmeier said he will “champion an America first agenda” and vowed to “levy justice where it is due” in his opening speech after being sworn into office.
.@GovRonDeSantis has bestowed a duty on me to protect the Free State of Florida.
— James Uthmeier (@JamesUthmeierFL) February 17, 2025
My promise as your Attorney General is that I will endeavor every day to do what is right and levy justice where it is due.
No empty rhetoric. No posturing. No excuses. pic.twitter.com/e5FKQL4rx6
“I promise to you and the people of Florida that I will endeavor every day to do what is right and levy justice where it is due. No empty rhetoric, no posturing, no excuses,” Uthmeier said.
While Uthmeier’s appointment was celebrated by other Republicans in the Sunshine State, Florida Democrats were unhappy with DeSantis’s pick. Florida Democratic Party chairwoman Nikki Fried said that Uthmeier’s selection as attorney general was the “clearest example of weaponizing the judicial branch of government.”
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“As Chief of Staff, James was the architect of the state’s multi-million dollar political campaign using taxpayer dollars to defeat Amendments 3 and 4 and deny Floridians their freedom. He’s shown he is willing to do anything including breaking the law to keep his mob boss happy,” Fried said in a statement Monday.
Uthmeier will serve out the rest of Moody’s term, which is set to expire in January 2027. Under Florida law he would be eligible to run for Attorney General in 2026, and if elected then for reelection in 2030.