Max Miller stays in Ohio race as abuse allegations unsettle Republicans

Columbus,UPDATED: Aug 11, 2026 05:38 IST

Republican Congressman Max Miller is staying in the race for re-election in Ohio despite calls from within his own party to step aside over domestic abuse allegations made by his ex-wife. His decision has created difficulties for Republicans, who had not expected to spend time defending the seat in this year’s midterm elections.

The contest is now increasingly being seen as competitive, with Democratic challenger Brian Poindexter using Miller’s controversies to appeal to voters by promising to “serve with honour”. Monday was the last day for Republicans to replace Miller on the general election ballot in Ohio, leaving him in the race for the 7th Congressional District.

Democratic groups backing US House campaigns have been closely watching the seat, which lies south of Cleveland, to decide whether to increase support for Poindexter. President Donald Trump had won the Republican-leaning district comfortably two years ago. Miller won it with 51 per cent of the vote in a three-way contest that also included former congressman and presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich, who ran as an independent. Under Ohio’s current maps, the district leans 55 per cent to 44 per cent Republican, according to Dave’s Redistricting.

Miller, 37, has said he is confident of winning because of those numbers and what he described as the goodwill he has built with constituents over two terms. Both of Ohio’s senators, including his former father-in-law Senator Bernie Moreno, had urged him to quit the race, but Trump did not. Trump called Miller “a good person” and said his legal dispute with Emily Moreno was best left for the families to sort out. Miller, who served as a senior aide to Trump during his first term, said in a CNN interview last week that the president had told him that if he stayed in, “it’s going to be a tough race”. Republican Committee Chairman Joe Gruters indicated the party would stand by Miller, but did not say whether it would spend money on his campaign. “We’re going to support our nominees. Everybody has to prove they are capable of winning,” Gruters said on NewsMax. “We’ll see. I hope that he can.”

It was not clear on Monday whether Republican groups involved in House races, including the Republican Campaign Committee and the Congressional Leadership Fund, would spend on Miller’s behalf. Miller said last week that he was ready to put in more of his own money. In a statement to The Wall Street Journal, which reported that he was injecting USD 1 million into the campaign, he said: “I know there are people that are concerned about my ability to win this race right now, but I don’t share that. I am invested in this election in every way, and I will invest the resources into my campaign to win.” Democratic organisations such as the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and House Majority PAC were also debating on Monday whether to make the race one of their midterm spending priorities.

The race has drawn rising attention over the past month because of scrutiny over earlier abuse allegations made against Miller by his ex-wife Emily Moreno and at least two other women. Some of his efforts to defend himself have also triggered backlash. At the same time, Democrats have been encouraged by Poindexter’s chances. The 46-year-old Brook Park city councillor has campaigned on cost-of-living issues and secured endorsements from Ironworkers , the United Auto Workers, AFSCME, the Ohio AFL-CIO and others. On Monday, he sought support from voters across the political spectrum, saying: “It’s unfortunate that Miller has chosen to keep putting his ex-wife and her family through this nightmare in the public spotlight. But let me be perfectly clear. I got into this campaign to fight for my neighbours and for working people across this district.” Miller did not respond to messages seeking comment. He was the first candidate Trump endorsed as he moved against Republicans who supported his impeachment over the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol or opposed his efforts to overturn the 2020 election result, and Miller went on to challenge Ohio Representative Anthony Gonzalez, who later dropped out. With Miller staying on the ballot, both parties are now weighing how much attention and money to devote to a race that has become far more closely watched.

With PTI Inputs

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