A Trump-backed congressman just got booted by his own party's voters.
Rep. Cory Mills of Florida was defeated in the Republican primary for the state's 7th Congressional District by Ryan Elijah, a former local TV news anchor, as reported on Tuesday night. Decision Desk HQ called the contest for Elijah at roughly 7:53 pm Eastern, barely sixty minutes after voting wrapped up.
With about 64 percent of ballots tallied at that point, Elijah commanded 18,726 votes for a 43.2 percent share. Mills trailed badly at 16,029 votes, good for just 37 percent. Businesswoman Sarah Ulrich grabbed 11.4 percent, and retired Defense Department program manager Michael Johnson pulled in 8.4 percent.
Here's where it gets absolutely wild. Mills had the golden ticket, a full endorsement from President Donald Trump back in February. Trump praised him as a Bronze Star recipient, combat veteran, and successful entrepreneur. Mills plastered that endorsement all over his campaign materials. But eagle-eyed observers noticed something fishy. Trump quietly left Mills off certain public endorsement lists as the primary approached. That is never, ever a good sign in MAGA world.
And the reasons were pretty obvious. Mills was drowning in scandal. The House Ethics Committee launched an inquiry in late 2024 looking into allegations that companies tied to Mills held or profited from federal weapons contracts while he served in Congress. They also examined potential problems with his financial disclosures and possible campaign finance violations involving personal loans or contributions. On top of all that, the committee reviewed allegations connected to sexual misconduct or dating violence. They authorized over 20 subpoenas and gathered thousands of documents, though no final conclusions were made public before primary day.
Then came the personal drama. In February 2025, D.C. police investigated an assault allegation from Sarah Raviani, who had been living with Mills. No charges resulted, and Raviani later took back her claims. But the dominoes kept falling. Another former partner, Lindsey Langston, obtained a restraining order against Mills in 2025, alleging he threatened to release intimate images and made alarming statements about potential harm to future partners. Mills denied the characterizations from both women and maintained his innocence across all matters.
Elijah, meanwhile, ran a textbook insurgent campaign. The former co-anchor at WOFL Fox 35 in Orlando jumped into the race this spring and quickly racked up endorsements from GOP Reps. Anna Paulina Luna and Mike Haridopolos, Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood, state Sen. Tom Wright, and others. He also outraised and outspent Mills during the crucial final stretch before the primary.
Mills first won the seat in 2022, flipping a district previously represented by Democrat Stephanie Murphy. He cruised to reelection in 2024 with 56.5 percent. The district covers Seminole County and parts of southern Volusia County and is considered competitive heading into the midterms.
Before arriving in Congress, Mills founded security and munitions companies and participated in evacuation efforts from Afghanistan. Now his congressional career appears finished, proving once again that no endorsement is bulletproof when scandals pile up.
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