Representative Cory Mills (R-Florida) is set to exit Congress after losing the Republican primary.
On Tuesday, as results came in from Florida’s 7th Congressional District, it became clear that Mills faced an uphill battle. By around 8pm ET, the outcome was all but certain, with his challenger pulling ahead.
Currently, Mills is under a criminal investigation led by the Department of Justice.
With nearly 94% of the votes tallied, the challenger, Ryan Illya, emerged victorious, defeating Mills with 47% to 34.3%. Illya is now preparing to compete against Florida Democrat Vail Dalton in the upcoming November election.
Mills was initially elected to Congress in 2022, winning by a margin of 15 points. He secured re-election in 2024 with a more narrow 13-point lead.
As of now, neither Illya’s nor Mills’ campaign teams have responded to inquiries for comments.
Mills likely anticipated this defeat.
A recent poll from Victory Insights indicated that Mills’ approval ratings were “very concerning” for an incumbent. Adding to his troubles, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis openly distanced himself from Mills, stating, “I don’t support Cory Mills.”
The politician has faced multiple scandals, many covered by various outlets. Allegations against Mills include claims of theft, a conversion to Islam, meetings with a Syrian figure once labeled a terrorist, and even accusations of threatening a beauty queen with revenge porn.
In a report from a year ago, Mills was said to have sent a series of menacing messages to Lindsay Langston, the reigning Miss United States at the time, after their three-year relationship ended in February 2025. Following the breakup, he supposedly sent her unsettling messages threatening repercussions.
- “You might want to say to every guy you date, when you meet them someday, buckle up your cowboy straps.”
- “You want a date or you want to be with someone else? Be my guest. But they need to know in advance that I won’t care this week, this month, or this decade if we pass each other. They better know it’s coming every time.”
- “You can send him some of your videos too.”
These allegations of harassment were serious enough to prompt a Florida judge to grant Langston a restraining order against Mills last October.
In late July, it came to light that Mills was under investigation by the Department of Justice, although the specifics of the probe—particularly regarding his finances—remain unclear.
