3 Republicans qualify to challenge Sen. Ashley Moody in Florida U.S. Senate race ahead of filing deadline

Three Republicans have officially qualified to run for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Ashley Moody, even as the incumbent had not yet filed her own qualifying paperwork as of Thursday afternoon, according to the Florida Division of Elections.

State records show Neelam Taneja Perry of St. Petersburg paid the $10,440 qualifying fee Wednesday to run as a Republican. Two other GOP candidates — Chris Gleason of Largo and Ernest "Ernie" Rivera of Temple Terrace — paid the fee Thursday, securing their spots on the ballot.

Despite not yet qualifying, Moody has been actively campaigning. Her campaign reported holding $7.13 million as of April 1. The former two-term Florida attorney general was appointed to the Senate by Gov. Ron DeSantis in January 2025.

Perry's campaign website describes her as "a physician, author, and advocate for truth and accountability in government." Rivera identifies himself as "a seasoned minister, educator, entrepreneur, and national voice for Christian values." Gleason, a U.S. Army veteran, says he is a "tech pioneer" and claims to be "the whistleblower whose forensic evidence triggered a Presidential Memorandum on ActBlue."

On the Democratic side, Alex Vindman also paid the qualifying fee Wednesday.

The qualifying period for the race is set to end at noon Friday, with the primary election scheduled for Aug. 18.