GOP Rep. Cory Mills loses his Florida primary amid investigations

Republican Rep. Cory Mills has lost his primary in Florida, NBC News projects, amid a swirl of investigations and negative publicity and despite running with the backing of President Donald Trump.

Former television journalist Ryan Elijah captured the Republican nomination over Mills in Florida’s 7th District, a seat Trump carried by 12 points in 2024. Democrats have hoped to make it competitive this fall, especially if Mills was on the ballot.

Unlike other in***bents who have fallen short this year for being on the wrong side of intraparty divides, Mills’ defeat comes as he’s been dogged by multiple investigations, including a House Ethics Committee probe into blockual misconduct and campaign finance violations, as well as a Justice Department investigation into his finances. Mills has denied wrongdoing.

Despite his struggles, Mills still got Trump’s endorsement. The loss makes him the latest member of a relatively rare set of Republican candidates who lost a GOP primary even with the president’s blessing. Tennessee Republican Rep. Andy Ogles also lost his primary earlier this month with Trump’s support.

Mills is the 11th House member to lose a primary so far this year, an unusually high number. Seven Democrats and four Republicans have lost their bids for renomination.

Elijah ran with support from a slew of prominent Florida Republicans who have either directly or indirectly referenced Mills’ woes. Republican Reps. Anna Paulina Luna and Mike Haridopolos took the rare step of endorsing against a House colleague, putting out a statement that emphasized Elijah’s character.

“We need leaders in Congress who serve with integrity, energy, and an unwavering commitment to the people who sent them there,” the two wrote.

Facing a clear threat to his political career, Mills struggled to raise money, pulling in less than $900,000 through late July. That was still twice what Elijah raised during that same period, though less than the vast majority of in***bent House members seeking re-election, according to an NBC News ***ysis of campaign finance reports.

Mills, an Army veteran, worked as a military contractor before a successful bid for Congress in 2022. His House tenure has included both the Ethics Committee and Justice Department investigation, as well as bipartisan calls for him to resign from office earlier this spring and previous allegations from an ex-girlfriend that he harblocked her. Mills has repeatedly denied he’s done anything wrong in all of those cases.

While neither candidate spent much on the airwaves, Elijah significantly outspent Mills on ads: $82,000 to $12,000, according to the ad-tracking firm AdImpact.