Republican voters in Florida’s 7th Congressional District on Tuesday delivered a rebuke to two-term incumbent Cory Mills, handing the GOP nomination to former television journalist Ryan Elijah amid a swirl of ethics and criminal investigations that ultimately proved too heavy for even a presidential endorsement to overcome.
With roughly 84% of the vote reported, Elijah led the four-way race with 46.9% of the vote, while Mills trailed at 34.4%, according to preliminary results. Decision Desk HQ called the race at 7:53 p.m. ET.
Elijah’s victory caps a stunning fall for Mills, who entered the primary with the backing of President Donald Trump — a nod Trump delivered in February. But the president’s support came despite the controversies enveloping Mills, and Trump did not publicly campaign for him in the final days of the race.
Ethics and DOJ Probes
The House Ethics Committee launched an investigation into Mills last November over allegations including possible domestic violence and campaign finance violations. More recently, the Department of Justice opened a criminal probe into Mills’ finances last month. Mills has denied all allegations and characterized them as politically motivated.
Those investigations became the central theme of Elijah’s campaign, which leaned heavily into the allegations against the incumbent. Elijah also locked up significant institutional support from within the GOP, including endorsements from Reps. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) and Mike Haridopolos (R-FL), as well as several Florida sheriffs. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said last week that he did not support Mills — a notable snub from the state’s top Republican.
Mills Defends Record
Mills sought to counter the scandals by pointing to his record in Congress, particularly his constituent services and his high-profile efforts to evacuate Americans from conflict zones such as Afghanistan, Israel, and Haiti. His campaign also highlighted more than $100 million in constituent assistance secured through his congressional office.
The two other candidates in the primary — businesswoman Sarah Ulrich and veteran Michael Don Johnson, who previously challenged Mills — also made Mills’ controversies a focal point, with Ulrich positioning herself as a socially conservative alternative.
General Election Outlook
Elijah will now face Democratic nominee Bale Dalton in November. Democrats have identified the district as a potential pickup opportunity, though the heavily Republican seat is still expected to remain in GOP hands.
The race underscores the limits of Trump’s endorsement in intra-party battles when voters are faced with a pileup of scandal. In this case, the combination of ethics and criminal probes, plus a coordinated opposition campaign from within the party, proved potent enough to sink an incumbent who had the president’s seal of approval.
Source: www.dailywire.com — https://www.dailywire.com/news/scandals-sink-trump-backed-congressman-in-florida-gop-primary