GOP Rep. Max Miller resists pressure to drop reelection bid as party
anxiety grows over abuse claims
[August 06, 2026]
By JULIE CARR SMYTH and THOMAS BEAUMONT
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Republican Rep. Max Miller of Ohio resisted
pressure Wednesday to exit his reelection campaign for Congress, even as
anxiety over his electability was growing within his own party.
Miller is facing a congressional ethics investigation related to
domestic abuse allegations leveled against him by his ex-wife but is
insisting he won't withdraw. “I’m not going anywhere,” he told CNN on
Wednesday.
The second-term congressman's actions in a parade of public appearances
— beginning with a livestream from his X account Sunday — are
heightening concerns among Republicans, who have only until Monday to
replace Miller on the November ballot if he were to change his mind and
withdraw.
Some senior House Republican campaign strategists worry that Miller’s
chances of reelection in the competitive Cleveland-area district have
vanished in light of the renewed attention on the allegations and his
attempts to defend himself, according to a source familiar with the
strategists' thinking who requested anonymity to discuss internal party
deliberations.
Messages left for Miller were not returned.
Miller said in a CNN interview earlier this week that he had spoken
about his reelection prospects with President Donald Trump, who told
him, “I don’t know if you’re going to be able to, you know, pull this
one out."
Miller, a senior adviser to Trump during his first term, said he
believes he retains strong support within his district and can raise the
money needed for a winning campaign. Miller has so far raised about $2.1
million, compared to his opponent's $603,000, according to federal
filings.
“There’s no chance that I’m removing myself from this race,” even if
Trump were to ask him to step aside, Miller said in a Newsmax interview
Tuesday evening.
He had previewed his decision to stay the course over the weekend when
he went live on the social platform X and posted a huge cache of
documents related to the divorce and custody cases involving him and his
ex-wife, Emily Moreno, the daughter of Republican U.S. Sen. Bernie
Moreno.
Democrats view the fresh scrutiny on the long-running custody battle and
Miller's public attempts to defend himself as a potential opening to
flip a seat as they seek to retake control of the U.S. House in this
year's midterms.
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Rep.-elect Max Miller, R-Ohio, arrives for new member orientation
check-in and program registration in Washington, Nov. 13, 2022. (AP
Photo/Amanda Andrade-Rhoades, File)
Miller's Democratic opponent, Brian Poindexter, a union ironworker,
capitalized on the controversy in a pitch to potential donors
Wednesday. He accused Miller of “moral bankruptcy.”
“His own party won't stand behind him. His own family has said he's
not fit to serve,” he said, referring to comments by Sen. Moreno,
who said the congressman lacks “the basic standards of character
required to hold elected office.”
To allow his party to name a replacement by a 4 p.m. Monday
deadline, Miller would have to formally withdraw by sometime
Saturday. That's to give enough time for the required 48-hour notice
of a meeting of the Republican Party chairs from the four Ohio
counties in his district who would name his replacement.
On Tuesday, the House Ethics Committee announced it had opened an
investigation into whether he “may have engaged in domestic violence
and abuse or illegal drug use.” A group of Democratic lawmakers had
also said they wanted an investigation into Miller's conduct.
Earlier, Miller himself called for review by the House panel.
The committee's announcement came a day after it recommended another
lawmaker be censured after finding he had engaged in inappropriate
behavior with young female aides.
The accusations against Miller by Emily Moreno and by a former
girlfriend, one-time White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham,
have been public for years but have drawn increased scrutiny in
recent weeks. Emily Moreno has said Miller scalded, hit and
threatened her while they were married, allegations Miller has
denied.
Miller also said he had nothing to do with a recent broken
collarbone on their 2-year-old daughter that led Emily Moreno to
contact authorities.
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