Democratic Senate candidate Josh Weil has dropped out of the 2026 race against U.S. Senate candidate Ashley Moody.
The Jacksonville Democrat emailed a statement announcing the end of his campaign Thursday.
“It is with sadness that I announce I will be withdrawing from the race to represent Floridians as their Senator in 2026,” the email reads.
At the moment, no other Democrat with the same fundraising record has filed for the seat, and Florida Democrats have struggled somewhat to find a candidate. But a Democratic consultant told Florida Politics former Brevard School Board member Jennifer Jenkins may soon enter the race.
Weil gained prominence after a Special Election earlier this year when he raised $15 million despite running in a deep red congressional district. He ultimately lost the election to now-U.S. Rep. Randy Fine, an Atlantic Coast Republican, by about 14 percentage points. But that was in a district where more than 66% of voters supported President Donald Trump in the November presidential election.
Following the development of a national network of donors, Weil hoped to capitalize on the newfound prominence and make a statewide run.
But he said health concerns will prevent that from happening.
“In 2021 and 2022 I was hospitalized on multiple occasions due to a condition called Rhabdomyolosis. In the last few weeks traveling across the state, I noticed an increase in symptoms associated with my hospitalizations. After discussion with my family, I have decided to focus on my health first and foremost,” Weil wrote.
“Florida deserves a U.S. Senator who can fight for them 100% of the time. I do not wish to hold that seat if I cannot give them that 100% that they deserve. My hope is by bowing out this early in the cycle, another staunch progressive enter the race and be successful. I trust that both my run for the special election and for Senate has demonstrated to everyday working Americans that they can make a difference by running for office in their communities.”
Rhabdomyolosis causes damaged muscle tissue to break down and release into the bloodstream, leading to possible side effects such as kidney damage or failure.
Beyond Jenkins, former U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson has an account open from his brief run in 2024, but told Florida Politics he has not made any decision on what he may run for and is keeping his account current for compliance reasons.
Joey Atkins, a Democrat who previously challenged U.S. Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart, a Hialeah Republican, has filed but has raised less than $1,000 to date.
No other candidate has reported any fundraising.
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