Ron DeSantis tosses scandal-plagued MAGA lawmaker under the bus as GOP splinter deepens

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis publicly refused to back embattled Rep. Cory Mills' reelection bid Friday, joining a growing list of Republicans abandoning him just days before Tuesday's primary.

According to Politico, when asked point-blank about Mills during a stop at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University near Mills' district, DeSantis didn't hold back: "I have not endorsed Cory Mills and I do not support Cory Mills."

Mills, currently under House Ethics Committee investigation, faces three primary challengers, including former local news anchor Ryan Elijah. Two sitting Florida GOP congressmen, Anna Paulina Luna and Mike Haridopolos, already broke ranks earlier this month to endorse Elijah instead. Rep. Byron Donalds, the frontrunner to succeed DeSantis as governor, dodged the question entirely this week, telling reporters the decision is "now in the hands of the voters in CD 7."

DeSantis' snub lands just days after President Donald Trump publicly reaffirmed endorsements for numerous Florida Republicans on social media — while conspicuously leaving Mills off the list, making him the only incumbent Florida congressman Trump failed to mention. Trump had originally endorsed Mills back in February, and Mills has been leaning heavily on that endorsement to survive the primary.

The DeSantis-Mills relationship has never been warm. Mills backed Trump over DeSantis during the governor's own presidential run, and threatened to primary whoever DeSantis picked to fill Florida's vacant Senate seat before DeSantis ultimately chose Ashley Moody.

Since then, Mills has piled up controversies, including allegations of domestic abuse and a restraining order granted against him last October after an ex-girlfriend accused him of threatening to release sexually explicit videos of her. Mills flatly denies all allegations against him.