On Wednesday, President Donald Trump revealed that he had personally pressed Florida Representative Cory Mills to withdraw from his congressional primary contest. This disclosure came just after the troubled Republican incumbent was defeated in Tuesday’s primary election by former television news anchor Ryan Elijah.
Taking to his platform, Truth Social, the president reflected on his attempts to sway his colleague. “I told Congressman Cory Mills of Florida, a friend of mine, to get out of the Race, but he wouldn’t listen. He thought he could win, so who can blame him?” Trump stated.
Despite Mills being embroiled in a barrage of severe controversies—including allegations of physical assault, suspected campaign finance infractions, and claims from a former romantic partner that he threatened to disseminate intimate, explicit media of her—Trump had initially backed him in February. Notably, the president never formally retracted that public endorsement, even as the political scrutiny intensified. Mills has consistently and vehemently denied all accusations of wrongdoing.
Nevertheless, signals of Trump’s waning patience were evident well before the election. Earlier this month, the president conspicuously left Mills off a published roster of Florida Republican candidates receiving his official backing. Furthermore, Trump skipped hosting the signature tele-rallies for Mills, a staple promotional tool he has readily utilized for other favored lawmakers.
Mills is not the first Republican candidate facing severe personal and legal controversies whom Trump has privately pressured to exit a race. In a similar scenario, the president reportedly urged Ohio Representative Max Miller to abandon his reelection campaign. Miller, whose former wife has accused him of domestic abuse, was told during a phone call that continuing his bid would not only result in his own electoral defeat but would also drag down the Republican Party. While CNN had previously reported Trump’s private frustrations regarding Miller, the direct conversation had not been fully publicized. Miller, who also denies any wrongdoing, later minimized the exchange. Speaking to CNN’s Jake Tapper, Miller claimed Trump merely described it as a “tough race” and expressed uncertainty about whether Miller would be able to “pull this one out.”
In the very same social media update where Trump distanced himself from Mills, he swiftly pivoted to throw his formidable political weight behind Ryan Elijah, who secured the primary victory on Tuesday evening.
“We now have a great candidate, Ryan Elijah, running in his place! Ryan stands for EVERYTHING MAGA, and is respected by ALL. He has my Complete and Total Endorsement!” the president declared, fully embracing the former news anchor.
Despite the mounting pressure and the president’s public pivot, Mills remained stubbornly defiant. He not only rejected Trump’s private advice to exit the race but also firmly rejected calls from within his own party to resign from his current congressional seat. Speaking to CNN back in April, Mills insisted there was “absolutely no reason to resign.” He further revealed that House Speaker Mike Johnson had personally advised him to hold onto his position. “He told me not to resign, and he told me that this is why we have this process,” Mills explained, referring to the electoral mechanism that ultimately ousted him.
Speaker Johnson stopped short of explicitly confirming the specifics of that private conversation when pressed by CNN. However, he maintained that Mills is entitled to due process regarding the allegations against him. Additionally, Johnson deliberately sidestepped the question of whether he would actively support Mills’ campaign for another term.
The legal and ethical clouds hanging over Mills are substantial. The House Ethics Committee has launched an active investigation into multiple claims directed at the Florida lawmaker, encompassing both the alleged sexual misconduct and the campaign finance irregularities. Simultaneously, the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C., is investigating him over allegations that he physically assaulted an individual. Adding to his legal hurdles, a judge previously issued a strict order prohibiting Mills from having any contact with the former girlfriend who accused him of threatening to leak explicit videos and photographs following their breakup.
Mills’ primary defeat was not an isolated incident for the president’s chosen candidates on Tuesday night. Trump-backed contenders Catalina Lauf in Florida and Megan Degenfelder in Wyoming also suffered losses in their respective races. These defeats serve as a stark reminder that the president’s coveted endorsement, while powerful, is not an infallible guarantee of electoral success among voters.
The shifting tides in Florida were further illustrated by the departure of key allies. Earlier this month, Florida Representatives Anna Paulina Luna and Mike Haridopolos publicly severed ties with Mills, choosing to throw their support behind Elijah. Now, having decisively vanquished the incumbent and secured the ultimate prize of the president’s blessing, Ryan Elijah moves forward as the official Republican nominee for the seat.
