Updated 1w+ ago · Politics
Trump Ditches Endorsed Candidate After Primary Loss
Ryan Elijah won the Florida GOP primary Tuesday, defeating two-term incumbent Rep. Cory Mills in a race shaped by allegations of dating violence and misconduct.
- 46.9% went to Elijah; Mills received 34.4% with 82% of ballots counted.
- A Florida judge granted a restraining order against Mills in October 2025 for dating violence protection.
- The Justice Department reportedly opened a criminal investigation into Mills in July; Mills denied knowledge of it.
- Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, and GOP Reps. Anna Paulina Luna and Mike Haridopolos each backed Elijah over Mills.
Why it matters: Mills' loss ends a tenure defined by overlapping investigations. The Ethics Committee authorized more than 20 subpoenas and contacted dozens of witnesses.
- Mills becomes the fourth House member this year to lose his seat after allegations of misconduct against women.
- Democrats view Elijah's November race against Dalton as a potential pickup opportunity in a district that has leaned reliably Republican.
How 39 sources split on this story
Source landscape
Factuality
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Strong LeftLeftLean LeftCenterLean RightRightStrong Right
Political Bias
Coverage by lean
39 sources · 54 articles · 41% Right coverage
Where they split: Coverage divides on whether the race primarily illustrates accountability for personal misconduct or a broader pattern of Trump endorsements failing in 2026 primaries.
Center coverage, 9 sources: The center covers the race as a straightforward primary loss driven by Ethics Committee scrutiny and the withdrawal of key Republican support.
IBTimes1w+Embattled Congressman Cory Mills Loses Florida Primary Following Misconduct AllegationsNewsweek1w+Cory Mills Florida loss is warning sign for Max Miller in OhioThe National Desk1w+Trump-backed candidates pick up primary wins in Maine, Nevada, South CarolinaFlorida Politics1w+'He wouldn't listen': Donald Trump endorses Ryan Elijah, says he encouraged Cory Mills to drop outForbes1w+Trump Says He Told Cory Mills To End Campaign Before He Lost PrimaryThe Hill1w+Trump says he told Mills to exit race before primary lossThe Week1w+GOP voters reject Florida’s Mills, other Trump picksWFLA News Channel 81w+Trump-endorsed Mills loses Florida primary amid House Ethics probeYahoo News1w+After Trump-endorsed Cory Mills loses primary, Trump says he told him to drop out
Left coverage, 14 sources: The left frames Mills' defeat as accountability for misconduct against women and as evidence that Trump's endorsement power is eroding in 2026 primaries.
Talking Points Memo1w+Florida Voters Reject Cory Mills’ Reelection Bid Amid Dating Violence AllegationsMSNBC1w+Even in Republican primaries, Jan. 6 rioters keep losing in bids for public officeMediaite1w+Cory Mills’ Defeat Was an Inside Job: Fellow House Republican Reveals He Recruited ChallengerCNN1w+Losses are piling up for Trump-backed candidatesHuffPost1w+Lawrence O'Donnell Reveals How Trump Just Lost His 'Magical Powers' Over The GOPRaw Story1w+Trump's clout no longer 'packing a punch' as 'loser' list hits double digitsThe Independent1w+Florida Republicans did what Mike Johnson is too partisan to do — they showed disgraced Rep. Cory Mills the doorThe New Republic1w+Trump Is Trying to Pretend He Didn’t Endorse Loser Cory MillsAlterNet1w+Trump throws 'friend' under the bus after humiliating home state defeatCleveland.com1w+GOP congressman bucks Trump — and topples own colleague: ‘It was an absolute loser’Daily Kos1w+Trump humiliated again as three more of his endorsees are losersNew York Magazine1w+Trump-Endorsed Candidates Are Having a Rough Go of It LatelyPolitical Wire1w+More of Trump’s Chosen Candidates Lose Their PrimariesVox1w+The Florida primary from hell
Right coverage, 16 sources: The right frames Mills as a scandal-plagued incumbent who lost because he failed to maintain party support and faces unresolved investigations, not as a referendum on Trump.
The Daily Caller1w+Primary Voters Giving House Reps The Boot At Rate Not Seen Since Vietnam EraWashington Examiner1w+Trump’s GOP kingmaker power faces new test after string of primary lossesJust the News1w+Trump-backed Degenfelder loses Wyoming governor primaryThe Western Journal1w+FL Voters Boot Cory Mills, the GOP Rep. Who Helped Keep Ilhan Omar from Being Stripped of Her Committee AssignmentsBizPac Review1w+GOP incumbent Cory Mills unseated in major Florida upsetFox News1w+Scandals, socialists and Trump roil primaries, send incumbents packing at near-record paceIndependent Journal Review1w+Scandal-Plagued Cory Mills Loses Reelection Bid To Primary ChallengerLegal Insurrection1w+Scandal Plagued Florida GOP Rep. Mills Ousted in PrimaryNew York Post1w+Trump claims he told scandal-hit Florida Rep. Cory Mills to 'get out' of race before voters dumped himNewsmax1w+Trump: 'Great Candidate' Running for Rep. Mills' Fla. SeatPower Line1w+Inside the Florida primaryRSBNetwork1w+Florida Republican Ryan Elijah earns President Trump’s endorsement after scoring primary winThe Center Square1w+More than a dozen Trump-endorsed candidates have lost their electionsThe Daily Signal1w+GOP Could Keep House Seat After Trump-Backed Rep LosesThe Gateway Pundit1w+President Trump Reveals He Told Cory Mills to Drop Out Before Primary Loss But He “Wouldn’t Listen” * The Gateway Pundit * by Margaret FlavinThe Right Scoop1w+BREAKING: President Trump weighs in on Cory Mills and last night’s “most gratifying loss”
What’s next: Elijah faces Democrat Bale Dalton, a former NASA chief of staff, in November.
- The House Ethics Committee investigation into Mills remains open; no criminal charges have been filed.
- Will the Justice Department's reported criminal investigation into Mills result in charges after he leaves office?
- Can Elijah hold the seat in November against Democrat Bale Dalton, given Democratic optimism about the race?
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