Politics in Florida moves at the speed of a Category 5 hurricane. One minute you’re the "it" candidate with $15 million in the bank, and the next, you’re looking at a doctor’s note and heading for the exit. If you’ve been scouring the internet to figure out who is Josh Weil running against, the answer is actually more complicated than a simple list of names.
Here is the kicker: He isn't running anymore.
It’s a bit of a shocker for people who followed his meteoric rise during the 2025 special election. Josh Weil, the Orlando math teacher who became a progressive darling almost overnight, officially pulled out of the 2026 U.S. Senate race. He was supposed to be the big Democratic hope to take down Republican incumbent Ashley Moody. Instead, the race has been turned completely upside down.
The Short-Lived Showdown: Josh Weil vs. Ashley Moody
When Weil first announced his candidacy in June 2025, the target was clear. He was gunning for Ashley Moody, the former Florida Attorney General who had been appointed by Governor Ron DeSantis to fill Marco Rubio’s seat (after Rubio headed to D.C. as Secretary of State).
Moody is basically the "final boss" of Florida Republican politics right now. She’s got the endorsements of dozens of sheriffs and the full backing of the state’s GOP machine. Weil was positioning himself as the scrappy, working-class alternative. He talked about rent prices, gas, and the fact that "Floridians are suffering."
But the match-up never made it to the ring.
💡 You might also like: JD Vance River Raised Controversy: What Really Happened in Ohio
In late July 2025, Weil sent out an email that stopped his supporters cold. He cited a recurring health issue—Rhabdomyolysis—a serious condition he’d struggled with years prior. He basically said that if he couldn't give 100% to the voters, he shouldn't be their Senator. Honestly, in a world of politicians who cling to power forever, it was a pretty rare move of self-awareness.
So, Who Is Left in the Race?
With Weil out of the picture, the Democratic field is a bit of a scramble. If you're looking at the ballot for the August 2026 primary, you aren't going to see Weil's name. You’re going to see a mix of veterans and newcomers trying to capture that same "viral" energy he had.
The Democratic Primary Contenders
Right now, the Democratic primary is a crowded house. It’s not just one person; it’s a bunch of people with very different vibes.
- Jennifer Jenkins: A lot of insiders think she’s the one to watch. She’s a former Brevard County School Board member who isn't afraid of a fight. She built a reputation for standing up to culture-war policies at the local level.
- Alan Grayson: The "perennial candidate" himself. You either love him or you don't. He’s served in Congress before and always brings a high-volume campaign to the table.
- Joey Atkins: An attorney who previously ran for the 26th district. He’s got the legal background, but whether he can raise the $15 million Weil did is a huge "if."
- Tamika Lyles: As the chair of the Osceola County Democratic Black Caucus, she has deep roots in the community.
There are others, too—folks like Hector Mujica (a tech executive) and several "filed paperwork" candidates like Paul Cruz and Frank Dimola. It’s a bit of a mess, truthfully. No one has quite filled the vacuum Weil left behind when it comes to raw fundraising power.
Why People Are Still Searching for Josh Weil
It’s kind of wild that people are still asking who is Josh Weil running against months after he dropped out. But it makes sense if you look at the 2025 special election for Florida’s 6th District.
📖 Related: Who's the Next Pope: Why Most Predictions Are Basically Guesswork
In that race, Weil was running against Randy Fine. That was a brutal, nasty campaign. Fine called him "Jihad Josh" because of his involvement with the Islamic Center of Orlando. Weil, meanwhile, was hammering Fine on corporate greed and housing.
Even though Weil lost that race by about 14 points, he raised an insane amount of money—over $15.9 million. For a special election in a red district, that's unheard of. Most of it came from small donors. People saw him as a giant-killer in the making. When he jumped into the Senate race, everyone assumed he was the front-runner.
The fact that he’s gone now has left a lot of voters feeling a bit lost. They’re looking for that "fighter" energy and aren't sure where to find it in the current 2026 lineup.
The Republican Side of the Fence
While the Democrats are trying to find their footing, the Republican side is a bit more settled, but not entirely without drama.
Ashley Moody is the incumbent and the heavy favorite. She has millions in the bank and the "incumbent" title, even if she was appointed rather than elected to this specific seat. But she does have primary challengers.
👉 See also: Recent Obituaries in Charlottesville VA: What Most People Get Wrong
One of the more headline-grabbing names is Jake Lang, a podcaster who has been involved in legal issues related to the January 6th Capitol events. Then you have Josue Larose and Alix Toulme, who frequently appear on Florida ballots. Unless something catastrophic happens, Moody is essentially the person the eventual Democratic nominee will have to face in November 2026.
Key Factors for the 2026 Special Senate Election
- The Term: This isn't a full six-year term. The winner only gets the final two years of Rubio's original term.
- The "Rubio Factor": Since this seat was vacated by Marco Rubio, there’s a lot of national eyes on it.
- Affordability: This was Weil’s main platform, and it remains the biggest issue in Florida. Rent and home insurance are killing people’s bank accounts.
Is Weil Done With Politics?
Probably not. He’s still a young guy, a teacher, and someone who clearly knows how to tap into a national donor network. His withdrawal was specifically for "health first and foremost," not because he lost his passion for the issues.
For now, the answer to who is Josh Weil running against is: nobody. He’s on the sidelines. If his health stabilizes, don't be surprised if you see him pop up in a 2028 or 2030 cycle. He proved that a math teacher from Orlando can out-raise career politicians, and that’s a bell you can’t un-ring.
What to Watch Next
If you want to stay on top of this race, stop looking for Weil and start looking at the August 18, 2026, primary. That’s when we’ll know if Jennifer Jenkins or one of the other Democrats can actually consolidate the base.
Keep an eye on the fundraising reports. Weil's $15 million was the "gasoline" for his campaign. If Jenkins or Grayson can’t hit at least a few million by the summer, Ashley Moody is going to have a very easy walk to a victory.
Check the Florida Division of Elections website regularly. Candidates drop in and out of these races constantly. In Florida, the only thing you can count on is that the political weather will change by tomorrow.
Next Steps for Voters:
- Verify your registration: Since this is a special election year (2026), ensure your voter status is active through the Florida Department of State website.
- Monitor the Primary: Mark August 18, 2026, on your calendar; this is when the actual opponent for Ashley Moody will be decided.
- Follow local reporting: Sources like Florida Politics or the Orlando Sentinel provide the most granular detail on candidate movement now that the "Weil factor" is gone.