TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — First-term Republican Rep. Cory Mills (FL-7) might be in a close re-election bid. That’s according to a new Public Policy Polling survey from his opponent, Jennifer Adams.
The Democrat’s campaign released the in-house poll, Wednesday, which showed her five points behind Mills, 43% to 48%. About 9% of those surveyed were undecided.
According to the Adams' campaign, PPP surveyed 594 registered voters in Florida’s 7th Congressional District, June 13-14.
“This survey shows exactly what I continue to hear from voters and see across our district,” said Adams in a statement to Scripps News. “Regardless of party affiliation, people are ready to replace our extremist incumbent congressman with a bipartisan problem solver who actually represents and cares about our Central Florida community, and who will collaborate and work to advance solutions that serve all in the district.”
In a memo about the poll— the Adams campaign suggested Mills’ support of the overturn of Roe v. Wade was an unpopular position in the district and one of the reasons he might be vulnerable. The same survey found Florida’s abortion ballot initiative, which would return the state to just before viability, was leading in the area, 57% to 32%. Amendment Four needs at least 60% support for approval.
Abortion was an issue for Mills in 2022. The Trump-backed GOP contender told the Orlando Sentinel, in October of that year, he was “very happy” about the US Supreme Court’s decision to return abortion access to the states. Even so, Mills defeated Democrat Karen Green in 2022 by an about 17-point margin, claiming FL-7's open seat.
More recently, Mills cheered the US Supreme Court's ruling overturning a ban on bump stocks-- a Trump-era restriction the former president pushed for following that 2017 mass shooting at a Las Vegas music festival which killed 58 people. Mills told a group of reporters last week "the Supreme Court's ruling demonstrates once again that the 2nd Amendment shall not be infringed."
"I'm very relieved about the outcome," Mills said. “I think that it helps the American people when you’re talking about trying to essentially criminalize tens of thousands of people overnight.”
Mills' district, which encompasses Sanford and New Smyrna Beach, appears to lean right. Voters there supported former President Donald Trump over President Joe Biden in the 2020 election by a similar five-point margin. That’s according to an analysis by MCI Maps.
Mills is from Central Florida, a veteran, and previously served as a defense adviser within Trump’s administration. A request for comment from his reelection team about the new poll wasn’t immediately returned.
Adams is also from Central Florida. The mother and small business owner says she’s running as a moderate and labeled Mills as an “extremist incumbent.”
“I know my community and my state, and we overwhelmingly vote for the people, not the party,” said Adams.
Adams will still need to secure her party’s nomination before facing Mills— who has a primary challenger of his own. Adams facing fellow Democrats Tatiana Fernandez and Allek Pastrana on August 20. Republican Mike Johnson challenging Mills.
