Rep. Cory Mills loses Florida Republican primary amid domestic violence allegations

Aug 17, 2026

Incumbent Republican Representative Cory Mills lost his Florida primary on August 18, 2026, to former TV anchor Ryan Elijah. Mills' reelection campaign was derailed by severe allegations of domestic violence, sexual misconduct, and financial violations, which triggered a House Ethics Committee probe. Mills faced significant opposition from within his own party, with Governor Ron DeSantis and fellow Florida Representatives Anna Paulina Luna and Mike Haridopolos endorsing Elijah, while Donald Trump pointedly withheld his endorsement in the final days of the race.

Mills primary defeat

▪Incumbent Republican Representative Cory Mills lost the Republican primary election for Florida's 7th Congressional District on August 18, 2026.
▪Former television news anchor Ryan Elijah defeated Representative Cory Mills in the Republican primary for Florida's 7th Congressional District on August 18, 2026.

Sexual misconduct allegations

▪Representative Cory Mills did not deny dating a 19-year-old woman while serving in Congress, stating that there is nothing illegal about two consenting adults dating.
▪A Florida judge granted Lindsey Langston a protective order against Representative Cory Mills in October 2025 after she accused him of threatening to release explicit videos of her.
▪Representative Cory Mills was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C., in February 2025 following an alleged assault of a 27-year-old woman.

House Ethics Committee investigation

▪The House Ethics Committee opened an investigation into Representative Cory Mills in November 2025 regarding allegations of sexual misconduct, assault, and financial disclosure violations.
▪Representative Cory Mills is reportedly under investigation by the United States Department of Justice alongside his ongoing House Ethics Committee probe.

Republican Party opposition

▪Donald Trump excluded Representative Cory Mills from a list of Florida congressional endorsements posted to Truth Social in the final days of the August 2026 primary campaign.
▪Florida Governor Ron DeSantis publicly stated in August 2026 that he did not support Representative Cory Mills' reelection bid.
▪Florida Representatives Anna Paulina Luna and Mike Haridopolos endorsed Ryan Elijah over incumbent Representative Cory Mills in the August 2026 primary.

Congressmen losing seats over misconduct

▪Representative Chuck Edwards announced the end of his reelection campaign in August 2026 after the House Ethics Committee recommended his censure for inappropriate conduct.
▪Representative Cory Mills became the fourth congressman in 2026 to lose his seat or end a reelection bid following allegations of misconduct against women.
▪Representative Tony Gonzales and Representative Eric Swalwell both resigned from Congress in April 2026 while facing potential expulsion over misconduct allegations.

Florida 7th District race

▪Florida's 7th Congressional District is rated as Likely Republican for the 2026 general election, having been carried by Donald Trump by approximately 12 percentage points in 2024.
▪Ryan Elijah will face Democratic nominee Bale Dalton, a former NASA chief of staff, in the November 2026 general election for Florida's 7th Congressional District.