Florida GOP Projected To Oust Rep. Cory Mills Amid Dating‑Violence Allegations

Republican voters in a Florida primary have, according to Decision Desk HQ projections, denied Rep. Cory Mills another term in Congress as allegations that he assaulted a woman and threatened to release nude images of a former girlfriend weighed heavily on his campaign.

Ryan Elijah, a former local Fox television news anchor, was projected as the GOP nominee in a district that President Donald Trump carried by 12 percentage points in 2024. Mills ran on the strength of Mr. Trump’s endorsement, which the former president renewed in February — months after the allegations against Mills became public — but Trump omitted Mills from a later set of endorsements in the race’s final days.

Allegations, Investigations and Denials

Mills has denied wrongdoing. Still, his campaign was dogged by multiple inquiries and public scrutiny. In February, the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C., responded to a report of an assault at a luxury apartment involving a 27‑year‑old woman. The Washington Post reported in April, citing body‑camera footage and related documents, that officers were prepared to arrest Mills but were instructed not to after the alleged victim modified her account following a conversation with him. When police sought an arrest the next day, a local prosecutor declined to sign the warrant. No criminal charges were filed.

The House Ethics Committee has an open investigation into that police inquiry and is also reviewing a protective order granted in October at the request of Mills’ former girlfriend, Lindsey Langston. At the time Langston was a Republican state committee member in Florida and the reigning Miss United States; she said Mills threatened to make nude images public. The judge who issued the protective order wrote that Langston "does have a reasonable cause to believe that she is in imminent danger of becoming the victim of another act of dating violence without an injunction being entered." The matter remains under Ethics Committee review.

Political Fallout

Mills faced growing resistance within his own party in the closing weeks of the campaign. Two members of Florida’s congressional delegation publicly backed a challenger, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said he would not support Mills. Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna endorsed Ryan Elijah and told The New York Times, "He is willing to put himself before his people, and he is willing to put himself before the party. I don't want to serve with people like this."

Mills’ projected loss would be the fourth time this year a member of Congress has lost a seat or left office amid allegations of misconduct against women. Earlier this year, Rep. Tony Gonzales (R‑Texas) and Rep. Eric Swalwell (D‑Calif.) each resigned after separate allegations; Rep. Chuck Edwards (R‑N.C.) ended his reelection bid after the House Ethics Committee recommended censure over inappropriate conduct toward staffers. Republicans are also defending Rep. Max Miller (R‑Ohio), who faces serious allegations of domestic violence and denies them.

Looking Ahead

With Ryan Elijah projected as the GOP nominee, political analysts say Florida’s 7th Congressional District could be more competitive in November than it was previously. Democrats are still selecting their nominee in an ongoing three‑way primary; no projected winner has been announced.

What remains clear: The race illustrates how allegations of personal misconduct can reshape intra‑party dynamics, influence endorsements and alter the trajectory of competitive districts heading into the general election.