President Donald Trump stated Wednesday that he had advised Rep. Cory Mills (R-FL) to withdraw from his reelection campaign prior to Mills' defeat in Tuesday's Republican primary. Trump made the statement on Truth Social, noting that while he considers Mills a friend, the congressman did not follow his advice to exit the race. Mills lost the primary for Florida’s 7th Congressional District to Ryan Elijah by more than 13 percentage points.
Although Trump endorsed Mills in February and did not formally rescind that support, Mills was not included in a list of Florida endorsements released by the president earlier this week. Following the primary results, Trump issued a new endorsement for Elijah, describing him as a candidate who aligns with his platform and maintains broad respect. Elijah, a former news anchor at WOFL-TV, received previous endorsements from Florida Republican Reps. Anna Paulina Luna and Mike Haridopolos.
The primary results occurred as Mills remains under investigation by the House Ethics Committee. The probe, which began in November, involves allegations of dating violence and potential violations of campaign finance laws. In May, Committee Chair Michael Guest (R-MS) and ranking member Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA) announced that the panel had authorized more than 20 subpoenas and contacted dozens of witnesses. Mills has denied the allegations.
The legal and ethical scrutiny surrounding Mills includes a restraining order for harassment granted to an ex-girlfriend by a state judge last October. Additionally, ABC News reported last month that the Department of Justice is investigating Mills' finances, a claim Mills denied during an interview with Fox News. Despite these challenges, Mills proceeded with his primary bid, leading to the contest against Elijah.
For residents in the district, the transition means a change in their direct representative in Washington, D.C., and potentially a shift in how their local concerns are addressed at the federal level. Voters would notice this change in the representative listed on their ballots and the constituent services available to them following the conclusion of Mills' term. The outcome of the Republican primary, where Mills lost by more than 13 points, indicates a preference among participating GOP voters for a different candidate amid the ongoing ethics and Department of Justice inquiries.
The transition also has knock-on effects for House leadership and committee assignments, as the House Ethics Committee will eventually conclude its probe into a member who will no longer be in office. The general election contest is now set between Elijah and Dalton, who won the Democratic primary by approximately 10 points. The final determination for the seat will be made by voters during the general election in November.