Florida Republican Party Chair Evan Power is projected to finish fourth in the primary race for the state's 2nd Congressional District. Decision Desk HQ projected on Tuesday that Austin Rogers will secure the Republican nomination to succeed retiring Rep. Neal Dunn (R-Fla.). In Florida's 7th Congressional District, Ryan Elijah defeated incumbent Rep. Cory Mills (R-Fla.) in a race that The Associated Press projected on the same day.
The results follow a primary season where several Florida incumbents and party leaders faced internal challenges. Power, who has led the state GOP since 2024, entered the race in January and loaned his campaign $150,000. Mills, a two-term congressman, faced a primary while under investigation by the House Ethics Committee for allegations including misuse of congressional resources and campaign finance violations. Mills has denied any wrongdoing and has not been charged with a crime.
Campaign finance records show both Power and Mills trailed their opponents in available funds. As of late July, Power reported less than $263,000 on hand, while Mills reported less than $70,000. In the 7th District, Elijah reported $186,000 in cash, and in the 2nd District, Power's opponent Keith Gross criticized the chair for fundraising while holding his state party leadership position.
The financial scale of these races involved hundreds of thousands of dollars in individual campaign spending and personal loans. For instance, Power's $150,000 loan to his own campaign represents a significant personal investment by a state party leader that did not result in a primary victory. Voters in these districts will notice a change in representation as established figures like the state GOP chair and an incumbent congressman are replaced on the ballot by Rogers and Elijah. In the 7th District, the University of Virginia's Center for Politics currently rates the seat as "likely Republican," though Democrats have reported higher cash reserves, with candidate Bale Dalton holding $475,000.
These elections set a precedent regarding the influence of party leadership and federal investigations on local primary outcomes. The loss of a sitting state party chair in a primary is a rare occurrence that may influence how future party leaders manage concurrent roles as officials and candidates. In the 7th District, the public endorsements against an incumbent by fellow House members and the governor highlight internal party divisions. The next step for the winners is the general election in November 2026, where Rogers and Elijah will face Democratic opponents for the final seats in Congress.