Casey Anthony Update: After Shocking Caylee Verdict, Prosecutor Jeff Ashton Loses Florida State Attorney Bid

The attorney who initially prosecuted Casey Anthony back in 2011 following the death of her daughter Caylee Anthony has lost his bid for re-election as the state attorney for the Orlando area. State Attorney Jeff Ashton lost his race Tuesday against competitor Aramis Ayala in the Democratic primary, NBC 2 reported Wednesday

What initially started out as a sure win for Ashton became an all-out battle when Ayala’s campaign took in $975,000 thanks to a donation from a Washington, D.C.-based political action committee. Ashton, 58, raised $112,445 for his bid, the Orlando Sentinel reported.

Although she didn’t solicit the money, Ayala gratefully accepted it. During the campaign, she also accused Ashton of enacting racially disparate policies, claims he has continued to deny.

Ashton is well known for prosecuting Anthony, who was accused of killing her daughter who she claimed went missing back in 2008. The young mom told police multiple stories, one which detailed kidnapping by a nanny. Anthony was eventually arrested when her daughter’s remains were found in a trash bag near the family home in Orlando, Florida.

Anthony was charged with murder in the death of her daughter and after a lengthy trial acquitted. Ashton, disappointed with the verdict went on ABC’s “The View.” The Orlando Sentential reported that he told the hosts, “Obviously, it's not the outcome we wanted. But from the perspective of what we do, this was a fantastic case.”

Ashton admitted last year to having an Ashley Madison subscription, according to USA Today. He insisted that he never had an affair on the site known for being a spouse cheating dating site. At the time, he said he used his personal credit card and personal email address when he signed up two years prior to the 2015 scandal.