Cory Mills

Mills and DeSantis have had a rocky relationship, as the congressman backed President Donald Trump over DeSantis during the governor’s 2024 presidential campaign.

DeSantis and Mills also had a conversation about filling Florida’s Senate seat after Marco Rubio was tapped to serve as secretary of state in 2025. DeSantis ultimately selected Sen. Ashley Moody (R-FL), while Mills said he would mount a primary against whoever the governor selected.

Trump also did not mention Mills while endorsing a slew of Florida candidates this week, but he did endorse Mills in February. Mills is the only incumbent in the four-way Republican primary.

Mills is also facing scrutiny from the House Ethics Committee, which has investigated him since August 2024 and established an investigative subcommittee in November 2025. The inquiry includes an alleged February 2025 domestic violence incident involving Mills. He is also facing an investigation from the Department of Justice, but the reason for the probe is unclear.

Another GOP challenger, Michael Johnson, sued Mills over his qualification paperwork for the House race, but a state judge dismissed the lawsuit.

Mills has also struggled to raise money for his reelection campaign. He ended the second quarter with roughly $81,000 cash on hand.

TRUMP DOUBLES UP ON UNDER-THE-RADAR CAMPAIGN STRATEGY

Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL), who is mounting a campaign for governor, also sidestepped a question about whether he wants Mills to win or what he thinks of Luna and Haridopolos backing Elijah.

“That’s now in the hands of the voters in CD-7,” Donalds said during a campaign stop in Crawfordville in northern Florida.