Florida Republicans back challenger to embattled Representative Cory Mills

Two Florida Republicans, Anna Paulina Luna and Mike Haridopolos, endorsed Ryan Elijah on Wednesday, siding with a primary challenger to Rep. Cory Mills as he faces assault allegations and a House Ethics Committee investigation. The backing sharpened the intraparty fight in Florida’s 7th Congressional District just 13 days before the Republican primary.

Luna and Haridopolos praised Elijah as a “trusted voice in our community” and a “true patriot and freedom fighter.” Their support gives Elijah a clearer lane in a contest centered less on policy than on whether Mills can hold his seat while under the shadow of scandal.

In May, the House Ethics Committee said it had authorized more than 20 subpoenas and contacted dozens of witnesses in its investigation into Mills over allegations of dating violence and campaign finance violations, among other matters. Those steps signaled a probe with unusual reach for a sitting member and added pressure to a re-election fight that already includes three Republican challengers.

All four Republican candidates seeking the district seat met in New Smyrna Beach on Wednesday night for the primary campaign’s only debate, offering voters a rare side-by-side look at the race. The debate underscored how quickly the contest has shifted from a routine incumbent defense to a test of how much scandal Florida Republicans are willing to absorb before the August 18 vote.