With Florida Congressman Cory Mills’ Republican primary defeat on Aug. 18, Florida’s 7th District will have a new representative next year.
Former Fox 35 “Good Day Orlando” host Ryan Elijah, who bested Mills in the primary, is the Republican candidate come November.
According to unofficial results posted by the Florida Division of Elections, Elijah won 47.1% of the vote to Mills’ 34.3%. Sarah Ulrich and Michael Johnson finished with 10.5% and 8.1%, respectively.
Describing his three-month campaign as a “people’s movement,” Elijah told The News-Journal he has heard the call for “a new voice of leadership” from the community.
“We need somebody that’s local here. We continue to find that. It is humbling to see the people who have backed us, just blue-collar workers to people who run some of these companies,” he said.
Here’s what to know about the now Republican nominee for Florida’s 7th District.
Who is Florida’s 7th District Republican candidate Ryan Elijah?
Elijah is a 54-year-old Fort Wayne, Indiana, native who lives in Sanford and is registered to vote in Seminole County. The 7th District includes all of Seminole County and the southern half of Volusia County.
According to his campaign website, Elijah has lived in Florida for 20 years, including 14 in District 7. He and his wife, Tasha, have two sons.
He resigned from WOFL (Fox’s affiliate TV station in Central Florida) in April to run for Congress.
During his 14-year run at the news station, he hosted the Emmy-winning “Good Day Orlando,” as well as “Orlando Matters” — a weekly show focused business and politics.
He has served on several boards, including the YMCA, the Lake Forest Homeowners Association in Seminole County, and the board of Blackhawk Christian School in Indiana.
What was Florida’s 7th District Republican candidate Ryan Elijah’s campaign platform?
Having raised his sons alongside his wife for the last 14 years in District 7, Elijah told The News-Journal earlier in his campaign that he “will make hardworking families, small businesses and safe communities my number one priority.”
According to his website, Elijah also wants to help decrease housing and healthcare costs, ensure continued federal funding for education in Seminole and Volusia counties, support veterans and more.
In a recent candidate forum in New Smyrna Beach, Elijah and opponents Ulrich and Johnson voiced concerns about Mills’ scandals over the past few years, suggesting he would be at risk of losing the seat in November.
In a prior interview, Elijah didn’t categorically express support for the the war with Iran, saying the objective should be stopping Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and leaving the Middle East and the U.S. “in a safer spot.”
Elijah will now face off against Bale Dalton, the Democratic nominee for Florida’s 7th District, in the November general election.
— Brenno Carillo is a local government reporter covering Flagler County, including Palm Coast and Flagler Beach, for The Daytona Beach News-Journal.
− Mark Harper covers politics, government and education for The News-Journal, with a focus on Florida, mostly in Volusia County. He can be reached at mark.harper@news-jrnl.com.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Who is Ryan Elijah? What we know about ex-TV host who beat Cory Mills
Reporting by Brenno Carillo and Mark Harper, Daytona Beach News-Journal / The Daytona Beach News-Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Brenno Carillo and Mark Harper, Daytona Beach News-Journal | USA TODAY Network
