Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis says he's waiting till the last minute to announce his pick because he doesn't want the new person to be "a piñata" for the news media.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has been leaning toward replacing Sen. Marco Rubio with state attorney general Ashley Moody, but has not made a decision, according to people familiar with the matter.

DeSantis has been more willing to exclude potential picks than to say who he will select in the weeks since it became clear Rubio is headed to Foggy Bottom. U.S. Reps. Kat Cammack and Cory Mills need to stay in the House to shore up the slender Republican majority, the Governor said this week.