U.S. Rep. Mike Haridopolos, who represents Brevard County’s 9th District, has openly claimed responsibility for the primary loss of fellow Republican Cory Mills, a move that has drawn attention across the Space Coast. In an interview with the Washington-based outlet NOTUS on August 20, 2026, Haridopolos said he personally recruited Ryan Elijah, a former Orlando TV news anchor with no political experience, to challenge Mills. Elijah won the primary by 12 points, securing 46.9% of the vote compared to Mills’ 34.4%, according to Associated Press counts.
Haridopolos said he believed it was his duty to find a candidate to defeat Mills, whom he described as a liability. He worked with House Republican leadership and other Florida lawmakers to secure support for Elijah’s bid. The primary race, which concluded on August 20, 2026, marked a rare instance of a first-term congressman actively campaigning against a colleague from the same party.
Mills, a Trump-endorsed candidate, had faced challenges in the primary from two other Republicans: Sarah Ulrich, a real estate agent, and Michael Don Johnson, an Army veteran. Ulrich and Johnson split the remaining 20.7% of the vote. Haridopolos’ involvement in the race has raised questions about his broader political strategy, with former staff suggesting the move is part of his efforts to position himself for a future bid as Speaker of the House.
The defeat of Mills, who had previously served in the Florida House of Representatives, has left a void in the state’s Republican delegation. Haridopolos, who has been a vocal critic of Mills’ leadership in the state legislature, said the decision to remove him was not about his actions but the financial and political costs he had incurred. The outcome has set the stage for a new era in Brevard County’s congressional representation, with Elijah now poised to face the general election in November.