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4w ago

DeSantis Withdraws Support for Rep. Cory Mills as GOP Rift Boosts Challenger

The governor’s public rebuke underscores growing Republican defections that could strengthen Ryan Elijah and complicate the party’s November prospects.

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Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speaks during an event at the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research headquarters on June 03, 2026 in Washington, DC. The think tank held the event called "Reining in America's National Debt Once and for All," and featuring current and former politicians. Anna Moneymaker/Getty

Overview

  • DeSantis said on Friday that he has not endorsed and does not support Rep. Cory Mills, marking a rare public break by a top Florida Republican.
  • Mills is under a long‑running House Ethics Committee investigation and reports say the Department of Justice has opened a separate probe into his affairs, allegations he denies.
  • Several prominent Florida Republicans have withheld backing for Mills and Reps. Anna Paulina Luna and Mike Haridopolos have publicly endorsed challenger Ryan Elijah, and President Trump has recently omitted Mills from a round of social‑media endorsements.
  • A new poll released Saturday by Capital Strategic Partners showed Elijah ahead of Mills by a wide margin and found nearly half of likely Republican voters had already cast ballots in early voting.
  • The Aug. 18 Republican primary will choose the GOP nominee for a seat targeted by Democrats, and a fractured Republican delegation plus legal uncertainty around Mills could weaken the eventual nominee’s general‑election standing.