Aramis Ayala Will Challenge GOP Attorney General Ashley Moody In Fall

TAMPA, FL — With the majority of Florida precincts reporting as of 8:45 p.m., it looks as if Republican Attorney General Ashley Moody will face Democratic candidate Aramis Ayala in the general election Nov. 8.

Ayala is showing an unofficial total of 579,520 votes for 44.68 percent of the total 1,296,905 who voted in Tuesday's Democratic primary. Contenders Daniel Uhlfelder received 368,166 votes (28.39 percent) and Jim Lewis garnered 349,219 votes (26.93 percent).

Three Democratic candidate are vying for a chance to face Republican Attorney General Ashley Moody in the general election Nov. 8 and become a member of the Florida Cabinet.

Scroll down for real-time updates of election results. Refresh this page for updates.

Aramis Ayala, 47, the controversial former state attorney for Orange and Osceola counties, who refused to seek the death penalty in any of her cases was Florida's first Black state attorney. Her staunch opposition to the death penalty and her declaration that she would not impose the death penalty earned her national headlines and the NAACP Civil Rights Champion of Justice Award in 2017.

Following her four-year term as state attorney, Ayala joined the faculty in the legal studies department at the University of Central Florida as an assistant professor.

Prior to running for office, she served as a homicide and major crimes assistant state attorney and an sssistant public defender. She has also held positions as an adjunct professor of law at Florida A&M University School of Law, as a legal analyst and as the chairwoman of the Citizens Police Review Board for the City of Orlando.

She describes herself as a humanitarian, civil rights advocate, cancer survivor, mother, wife and daughter of a Vietnam War veteran who grew up with parents who stressed the importance of hard work, faith and service from a young age. She was just named the Champion of Justice by Harbor House of Central Florida for her work in the fight against domestic violence.

Jim Lewis, 64, is an attorney from Fort Lauderdale and former assistant state attorney, running on a platform "to keep extremism out of government.

As attorney general, he said he will work with state attorneys and law enforcement to ensure the criminal justice system is fair for everyone, will prosecute those who seek to threaten Florida's natural resources and will fight against legislation that takes away a woman's right to choose.

Lewis also believes in decriminalizing the possession of marijuana.

"Stop putting people in jail for marijuana possession," he said. "Treat it like alcohol. Do not drive with it and do not consume it in public areas. Smoke at home."

Daniel Uhlfelder, 49, is an attorney in the Panhandle who said he will "prevent the enforcement of any abortion law" in Florida and will throw out Moody's lawsuits against the Biden administration over its immigration policies.

Uhlfelder said he has dedicated his life to fighting for civil rights, often in unconventional ways like protesting against Gov. Ron DeSantis’ decision to reopen beaches amidst the pandemic by walking along the crowded beaches dressed as the Grim Reaper.

Uhlfelder's great-grandparents were killed in concentration camps in Nazi Germany, but his grandfather was able to escape and would often share his stories about the hatred and bigotry he faced with his grandson

Uhlfelder said those stories motivated him to life a life of "purpose and gratitude," and to stand up to his peers against acts of hatred and intolerance.

Florida State Attorney General's Race: Primary Election 2022 Results

>> Real-time results for the state attorney's race are below, via the Florida Division of Elections. Be sure to refresh this page for updated results throughout the night.

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