Florida’s 7th Congressional District Republican candidates outline priorities

ORLANDO, Fla. - Four Republican candidates seeking their party’s nomination in Florida’s 7th Congressional District are emphasizing economic concerns, government spending and conservative policy priorities as they make their case to voters.

Incumbent U.S. Rep. Cory Mills and his GOP challengers Ryan Elijah, Sarah Ulrich, and Michael Don Johnson have outlined platforms that overlap on several issues, including reducing federal spending and taxes. 

Where they stand on the issues

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Their positions differ in emphasis on health care, education, immigration, congressional accountability and national security.

Economy, affordability and federal spending

Mills lists lowering taxes and the cost of food, gasoline and medical care among his priorities. Mills also supports balancing the federal budget, expanding U.S. energy production and opposing higher taxes and what he describes as excessive government spending.

Elijah says Congress should focus on lowering costs for families by keeping taxes low, reducing federal regulations and expanding domestic energy production. He argues that lower gasoline and energy prices would reduce costs throughout the economy. Elijah also calls for curbing federal spending, which he says contributes to higher prices and the national debt.

Ulrich has made balancing the federal budget a central part of her platform. She argues that the federal government should operate within its means and says continued deficit spending contributes to the national debt and risks weakening the dollar.

Johnson supports lower taxes, spending cuts and reduced regulation. His platform includes ending federal taxes on Social Security benefits and reducing regulations and fees affecting small businesses. Johnson also proposes changes to shipping regulations that he says would lower grocery prices in Florida.

Health care and insurance

Ulrich focuses part of her health care position on congressional accountability. She says members of Congress should have access to the same health coverage available to other Americans rather than receiving special benefits because they hold federal office.

Johnson says he would pursue policies aimed at lowering prescription drug and insurance costs. His proposals include increasing competition and negotiation over drug prices and allowing greater interstate competition among insurers.

Elijah supports what he describes as patient-centered health care, including expanded tax benefits for Health Savings Accounts. He also favors greater price transparency from hospitals, insurers and other health care providers.

Mills calls for a more transparent health care system and says protections should remain in place for people with pre-existing conditions.

Education and parental rights

Elijah says he supports public and private education, along with school choice, parental rights and greater transparency over curriculum. He also stresses maintaining local control of schools while recognizing the role federal funding plays in Central Florida school districts.

Mills also emphasizes parental involvement in education. His platform calls for a Parents Bill of Rights intended to give parents a greater voice in their children's education. He also opposes critical race theory and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

Johnson includes education and child safety among his campaign priorities. His platform calls for parental involvement in schools, opposition to critical race theory and changes to school standards.

Education is less prominent among the priorities provided by Ulrich, whose campaign instead places significant emphasis on fiscal and government accountability issues.

Immigration, border security and public safety

Mills lists securing the border and protecting national security among his central priorities. He also opposes what he describes as soft-on-crime policies.

Elijah says the United States should enforce immigration laws while recognizing the country's history as a nation of immigrants. He supports stronger border enforcement and cooperation with local law enforcement to combat illegal drugs entering Central Florida. Elijah also supports requiring proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote in federal elections.

Johnson calls for tighter immigration restrictions as part of his national security platform and says the federal government should strengthen efforts to prevent suspected terrorists from entering or operating in the United States. He also lists support for law enforcement among his priorities.

Ulrich's stated priorities provided for this comparison focus more heavily on congressional reform, spending and abortion policy.

Government ethics, accountability and term limits

Johnson says he wants to reduce the federal bureaucracy and increase accountability in Washington. He also proposes requiring members of Congress, senators and federal judges to be natural-born U.S. citizens, a requirement the Constitution currently applies to the presidency but not those offices.

Mills supports congressional term limits as part of his campaign platform.

Ulrich has made congressional reform a significant part of her campaign. She signed the U.S. Term Limits pledge and says service in Congress should not become a lifetime career. She also supports standardized, publicly accessible financial disclosure forms and a ban on insider trading by members of Congress.

Elijah's campaign priorities center more heavily on affordability, education, public safety, immigration and family issues than on congressional term limits or ethics reforms.

Energy and infrastructure

Johnson says he would pursue legislation aimed at increasing U.S. energy independence and redirect federal money toward infrastructure projects. His campaign also identifies roads, utilities and other Central Florida infrastructure needs as priorities.

Elijah supports increasing domestic energy production as a way to lower costs for consumers and businesses and strengthen U.S. energy independence.

Mills similarly calls for increased energy production and American energy independence as part of his broader economic platform.

Ulrich's stated priorities provided for this comparison focus more heavily on balancing the federal budget and limiting government spending.

Military, veterans and national security

Elijah, whose father and grandfather served in the military, says the United States should maintain a strong and well-equipped military while ensuring veterans receive adequate care after leaving the service.

Johnson, an Army veteran, calls for reducing foreign aid that he says does not advance U.S. interests. He also proposes relocating three U.S. military bases in the Middle East to Greece and Cyprus and expanding the U.S. presence in Vicenza, Italy. His campaign says the proposal would strengthen security while reducing costs.

Mills, an Army combat veteran, frames his national security and foreign policy priorities around putting American interests first, with border security and energy independence among his stated goals.

National security and veterans policy are less prominent among the stated priorities provided by Ulrich, whose platform places greater emphasis on term limits, ethics and fiscal policy.

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