Few endorsements in Florida campaigns remain as coveted as those of county Sheriffs. Republican congressional candidate Ryan Elijah just shot a TV ad with two Sheriffs supporting his challenge of an incumbent.
Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood and Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma both endorsed Elijah’s campaign to unseat U.S. Rep. Cory Mills, a New Smyrna Republican. Within days, both appeared with Elijah in the Sanford Republican’s first television ad.
“It airs on various networks and is a critical step in getting our message out in the final 19 days,” Elijah announced Thursday, the same day the ad went live on YouTube.
Chitwood in his ad presents a positive message about his preferred candidate. “I’ve worked with Ryan Elijah for years,” the lawman says about the former broadcast journalist. “He’s pro-law enforcement, dedicated, and a man of integrity.”
Adds Lemma, “Ryan is a strong supporter of law enforcement. He’s a devoted family man, and a principled conservative.”
The ad makes no mention of the two-term incumbent Elijah faces in an Aug. 18 Primary.
The contest in Florida’s 7th Congressional District looks to be the most competitive GOP Primary in the state for an incumbent, as Mills has faced an election cycle’s worth of bad headlines around personal scandals.
That has led to fundraising challenges for Mills, who closed June with $81,000 in cash on hand to Elijah’s $268,000. But Mills also noted that he loaned his own campaign $2 million when he ran in a competitive Primary for an open seat in 2022.
“If you look at my FEC reports, you will see that I fund my race based on opponent raise and what our polling indicates is necessary to win,” Mills told Florida Politics.
And Mills has stressed that he has one of the most critical endorsements in a GOP Primary: that of President Donald Trump.
But in the build-up to the vote, Elijah has amassed the support of a number of prominent elected officials in the district, including state Sen. Tom Wright.
Elijah closes his ad arguing he’s the reliable voice for conservatives.
“I’m running for Congress to support President Trump, get inflation under control, and to protect election integrity,” he says in the ad.