FLORIDA — Overcoming a slew of negative television ads from her opponent, Ashley Moody won the Republican nomination for Florida's attorney general Tuesday night.

The Associated Press called the race for Moody just before 9 p.m., with Moody claiming just over 56 percent of the vote to White's 43 percent. 

Moody is a Plant City native with experience as a federal prosecutor and circuit court judge. She has endorsements from current Attorney General Pam Bondi and 43 of the state's sheriffs.

White is the District 2 representative in the Florida House of Representatives. In campaigning against Moody, he touted his A+ voting record with the NRA, promised to support President Donald Trump's agenda and attacked Moody's claims at being a "true" conservative.

Polls showed support for White

With days before the primary, a St. Pete Polls survey, conducted Aug. 3-4 of 1,755 registered likely voters, showed White with a double-digit lead among respondents, 38 percent to Moody's 27 percent, with 33 percent undecided.

Just over 42 percent of respondents in the same survey said they had a favorable view of White, while just under 29 percent had a favorable view of Moody.

Attack ads

White's television ads during his campaign, however, had drawn some negative scrutiny. Specifically, the ads point to the fact that Moody is not a lifelong Republican and that her family filed a lawsuit against Trump.

Moody, in turn, hit back at White with combative ads of her own, calling on the sheriffs who have endorsed her to point out White's inexperience.

The Tampa Bay Times called White's claims of Moody being a liberal in the ads "laughable."