Ryan Elijah ousts Cory Mills in Florida GOP primary

Republican Rep. Cory Mills lost his Florida primary Tuesday, a sharp defeat for a Trump-backed incumbent whose reelection campaign was weighed down by ethics investigations, allegations involving former girlfriends and public rebukes from fellow Republicans.

Former television journalist Ryan Elijah won the Republican nomination in Florida’s 7th Congressional District, according to race calls by NBC News and The Associated Press. The central Florida seat, which stretches from the northern suburbs of Orlando to the coast south of Daytona Beach, backed President Donald Trump by 12 points in 2024 and is rated likely Republican by the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics. Democrats have said they see an opening in November, particularly if Mills had been the nominee.

Mills, an Army veteran and former military contractor first elected to Congress in 2022, had Trump’s endorsement. His campaign signs prominently featured “Trump Endorsed,” NPR reported, though Trump did not include Mills in several social media endorsement posts before the primary. Mills becomes one of a small number of Republican candidates this year to lose a GOP primary despite Trump’s support; NBC News reported that Tennessee Rep. Andy Ogles also lost his primary earlier this month with Trump’s backing.

The loss also adds to an unusually high number of House incumbents defeated in primaries this cycle. NBC News reported Mills is the 11th House member to lose a renomination bid this year, including seven Democrats and four Republicans.

Mills’ campaign was overshadowed by multiple investigations. The House Ethics Committee is examining allegations including sexual misconduct, campaign finance violations, misuse of congressional resources and whether he improperly received gifts or special favors. NBC News also reported that the Justice Department is investigating his finances. Mills has not been charged with a crime and has repeatedly denied wrongdoing.

A former girlfriend accused Mills of threatening to release nude photos of her, and a judge granted a restraining order against him last year, CBS News reported. Police also investigated an incident early last year in which Mills was accused of physically assaulting another woman he had been in a relationship with, though no charges resulted. The allegations involving his treatment of women led some Republican colleagues to at one point consider possibly expelling him from the House, CBS News reported.

Elijah’s campaign drew support from prominent Florida Republicans who signaled concern about Mills. Reps. Anna Paulina Luna and Mike Haridopolos took the rare step of endorsing against a House colleague, saying, “We need leaders in Congress who serve with integrity, energy, and an unwavering commitment to the people who sent them there.”

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis also distanced himself from Mills. “I have not endorsed Cory Mills and I do not support Cory Mills,” DeSantis said last week.

Mills struggled financially for an incumbent, raising less than $900,000 through late July, according to an NBC News analysis of campaign finance reports. That was still about twice Elijah’s total over the same period, but far below most House incumbents seeking reelection. CBS News, citing the latest Federal Election Commission data, reported Mills had less than $70,000 in cash on hand, compared with more than $186,000 for Elijah and more than $475,000 for Democratic candidate Bale Dalton.

Neither Republican candidate spent heavily on television advertising, but Elijah outspent Mills on ads by $82,000 to $12,000, according to AdImpact.

The primary featured other Republican candidates, including real estate agent Sarah Ulrich and U.S. Army veteran and Department of Defense employee Michael Don Johnson. NPR reported that some voters in the district remained supportive of Mills, while others worried his controversies could hurt Republicans in November. “I think Cory Mills is going to get beat, honestly, if it comes to a Democrat, and I just don’t think I can chance it,” voter Tiffany Davis said.