President Donald Trump said on Truth Social on Wednesday that he had urged Congressman Cory Mills of Florida to drop out of the race, but Mills refused.
“I told Congressman Cory Mills of Florida, a friend of mine, to get out of the Race, but he wouldn’t listen. He thought he could win, so who can blame him?” Trump wrote. “We now have a great candidate, Ryan Elijah, running in his place! Ryan stands for EVERYTHING MAGA, and is respected by ALL. He has my Complete and Total Endorsement!”
Mills, who faced multiple ethics allegations, including domestic assault, and was under investigation by the House Ethics Committee, lost the Republican primary on Tuesday to Ryan Elijah, a former television news anchor.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis did not endorse Mills. Two other Republican members of the Florida congressional delegation supported Elijah.
Bale Dalton, a former NASA chief of staff, won the Democratic nomination. The district is considered to lean Republican. Mills’ loss removes a candidate Democrats had viewed as vulnerable due to the ethics issues.
The outcome marks the second time this month a Republican incumbent under investigation has been defeated in a primary.
In Tennessee, Rep. Andy Ogles, facing questions about possible campaign finance violations, lost to Charlie Hatcher.
READ: Moskowitz Defeats DSA-Backed Challenger In Florida Primary, Eyes Race Against Singer
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox.
