President Donald Trump's endorsement was not enough to save one scandal-plagued Florida congressman on Tuesday night, as the 2026 primary season took the head of yet another House incumbent.
Rep. Cory Mills, R-Fla., lost his bid for a third term representing the Sunshine State's 7th Congressional District as a House Ethics Committee investigation and alleged federal probe weighed down his candidacy.
The winner in the race was Ryan Elijah, a former Orlando-area news anchor for FOX 35 and a one-time NFL sideline reporter who.
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Elijah lives in Seminole County with his wife where they pair raised their two adult sons, according to his campaign website.
The win is undoubtedly an upset victory against Mills, who held a sizable lead in multiple polls leading up to primary night and earned the most important and coveted endorsement in GOP politics.
But the effort to oust Mills from Congress has lasted months, and was ultimately successful.
Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., led a failed bipartisan effort to censure Mills and threatened to push for his expulsion, though she later backed off the latter measure. She also endorsed Elijah's bid against the Florida lawmaker.
Earlier this month, Reps. Mike Haridopolos, R-Fla., and Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., announced they were also endorsing Elijah over Mills in a race for the seat in their home state.
Mills, a military veteran, referenced his Trump endorsement several times on the campaign trail as he downplayed scandals plaguing his bid to keep his job.
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Mills is the latest in a strong of House Republicans to fall amid scandals in recent months.
Rep. Chuck Edwards, R-N.C., dropped his re-election bid in the wake of an explosive House Ethics Committee report that accused him of harassing two young female staffers.
House Democrats also targeted Mills as a potential vulnerability for the GOP in the 2026 midterms. It's not clear if they will put the same focus on Elijah now that he ousted the embattled congressman.
