Key facts
- Rep. Cory Mills is under investigation by the House Ethics Committee.
- Florida Governor Ron DeSantis stated he does not support Rep. Cory Mills.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has stated he does not support Rep. Cory Mills, who is facing an investigation by the House Ethics Committee. This comes after President Trump also omitted Mills from his recent endorsements, despite previously backing him.
The withdrawal of support from key Republican figures like Governor DeSantis and President Trump signals significant political headwinds for Rep. Cory Mills as he faces a primary election amid an ethics investigation and personal accusations.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has publicly stated he does not support Rep. Cory Mills, who is currently facing scrutiny from the House Ethics Committee. DeSantis declined to elaborate on his reasoning or endorse any of Mills's primary challengers.
The development follows a pattern of diminishing support for Mills. President Donald Trump, who had previously endorsed Mills, notably excluded him from a recent list of endorsements for Florida Republicans. This omission, particularly for an incumbent in a primary, drew attention.
Mills is running against three other Republicans, including former local news anchor Ryan Elijah. Earlier this month, two incumbent Florida GOP House members, Reps. Anna Paulina Luna and Mike Haridopolos, endorsed Elijah over Mills. The relationship between DeSantis and Mills has been strained; Mills supported Trump over DeSantis during DeSantis's presidential campaign. Additionally, Mills faced accusations from a former girlfriend, which led to a judge issuing a restraining order against him, though he has denied wrongdoing.
Even some of Mills's associates are distancing themselves. Rep. Byron Donalds, considered a frontrunner to succeed DeSantis, avoided commenting on Mills's primary race or the endorsements of Luna and Haridopolos, stating the outcome was in the hands of the voters.