On Friday, Florida Rep. Cory Mills and I started texting. My initial question for Mills, a scandal-plagued lawmaker who goes before Republican primary voters in the state tomorrow, was straightforward: Did he date a 19-year-old woman in 2023 while he was a member of Congress in his 40s?
His response was not a denial. “Whether in office or as a private citizen, adults are entitled to date in their attempt to find their person,” Mills wrote in part. “Sometimes you get lucky and find that immediately, but many are not so blessed. Feel free to run your new and slanderous hit piece.”
Since entering Congress in 2023, Mills has had three relationships with young women who have worked in Republican politics. One of those women accused Mills, now 46, of assault in 2025 before retracting the allegation. Another secured a restraining order against Mills after accusing him of threatening to share explicit videos recorded during their relationship.
Mills’ controversies are not limited to his dating life. Two Army veterans have accused Mills of obtaining a Bronze Star through false claims that he saved their lives.
Read about all that and much more in my most recent article on Mills, whom I profiled in February after speaking with 18 people who have known him. And keep an eye out for Tuesday’s primary results to see whether Mills—who received a “Complete and Total Endorsement” from President Donald Trump in February—hangs on to his seat.
—Noah Lanard
