Max Miller

Republican Representative Max Miller says he will remain in the race for reelection despite mounting pressure from Senator Bernie Moreno, his former father-in-law, to step aside over domestic abuse allegations made by Moreno's daughter, Emily Moreno.

The dispute has taken on new political significance ahead of Wednesday's deadline for Ohio Republicans to replace Miller as their nominee for the November general election if he were to withdraw.

Miller rejected calls to leave the race during a livestream on Sunday, saying he intends to stay on the ballot and win another term, while continuing to deny all allegations against him.

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The controversy has created uncertainty in one of northeast Ohio's most closely watched House races and has given Democrats renewed optimism about flipping a seat that had previously been viewed as leaning Republican. National Republicans must now decide whether to continue backing Miller or attempt a late change before the candidate replacement deadline passes.

Newsweek reached out to Miller's office and campaign for comment.

What Is Wednesday's Deadline?

Under Ohio election law, Wednesday is the final day for the Republican Party to replace its congressional nominee on the general election ballot if the current nominee withdraws.

If Miller remains in the race beyond the deadline as he has said he will, the GOP would lose its opportunity to nominate another candidate through the party replacement process, leaving Republicans committed to Miller heading into November.

The deadline effectively forces Republican leaders to decide whether to stand behind the incumbent or encourage him to step aside before it expires.

What Has Max Miller Said?

Miller has categorically denied allegations that he abused his ex-wife or daughter, calling the accusations false and politically motivated.

" I've been portrayed as an abusive husband, an abusive father, and a violent man. Those allegations have damaged my reputation, caused enormous pain to my family, and most importantly, it's affected our daughter," the congressman said in a Sunday livestream on X.

Miller described winning the race in November as not just about the Republican Party, but about his family.

"This election, to me, is about my family and about our daughter and keeping our values here and holding the media and other individuals accountable who have been incredibly reckless," he said.

"I'm not getting out of this race, and I'm winning in November," Miller, a former White House aide under President Donald Trump, emphasized.

Miller said Child Protective Services had investigated allegations involving his daughter on multiple occasions and closed each inquiry as unsubstantiated with respect to him. He said the investigations stemmed from reports including claims of physical abuse, a broken collarbone and a hospital visit prompted by what his former wife believed was bruising, adding that he fully cooperated with each inquiry.

He also pointed to testimony from a court-appointed parenting coordinator—a psychologist and mandatory reporter—who said in a sworn May deposition that she was not convinced he had abused either his ex-wife or daughter and had never reported that anyone, including Miller, had harmed the child. Miller argued that his shared custody arrangement further undermined the allegations.

Addressing the domestic abuse claims, Miller "categorically" denied abusing his ex-wife. He specifically rejected allegations that he threw boiling water on Emily Moreno or held a gun to her head, describing the water incident as "horseplay" involving water from a kitchen sink sprayer that "does not reach boiling temperature or scalding" and saying Moreno did not seek medical treatment. He called the firearm allegation "absolutely outrageous" and said it "never happened."

Miller also said a court granted him a domestic violence protection order following an ex parte hearing. He said that Moreno had struggled with mental health issues, while saying he was not raising the matter to attack her but hoped she received support. Miller said the public dispute had been "painful" for their daughter and posted what he described as documents produced by his attorneys relating to the abuse allegations and related litigation.

Miller has also criticized Moreno and defended his conduct throughout the ongoing custody dispute. No criminal charges have been filed against Miller in connection with the allegations, which remain part of ongoing legal proceedings.

Miller has also faced a lawsuit from former White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham, who alleges he violated a confidential settlement agreement reached after he sued her for defamation over her previous allegations of abuse. He has denied Grisham’s underlying allegations and has not admitted wrongdoing in the lawsuit, which centers on whether his public comments violated the terms of their agreement.

Grisham's lawyer told Newsweek on Monday that she intends to file a Temporary Restraining Order against Miller later today.

What Has Bernie Moreno Said?

Senator Moreno broke his public silence over the weekend by urging Miller to step down, saying his former son-in-law should not continue serving in Congress. The Ohio Republican alleged there was a "clear pattern" of abusive behavior and said Miller should seek professional help rather than continue his reelection campaign.

“If there are any basic standards of character required to hold elected office, Max Miller fails them. He should not serve in the House of Representatives," Moreno said, adding Miller was “a danger” to Moreno's daughter, Emily.

Moreno had previously refrained from commenting publicly on the family dispute but said he felt compelled to speak out because of concerns for his daughter and granddaughter.

His comments came after Miller announced he would remain in the race despite pressure to step aside before Ohio’s candidate replacement deadline.

Newsweek reached out to Moreno's office for additional comment.

What Has Donald Trump Said?

Trump endorsed Miller's reelection campaign before the allegations became public and has not withdrawn that endorsement.

Asked about the controversy, the president acknowledged the allegations against Miller but stopped short of calling on the congressman to leave the race, saying he had only recently become aware of the claims.

On Monday, Trump said he was "going to let the families figure that out."

"It's a very sad thing. I know Max. He's a good person. I'm going to let the families figure that out. It's a very sad thing… but it's accusations and I'm gonna let them figure that out," he told reporters.

Miller has long been a Trump ally, having worked in the former president’s administration before joining Congress. Trump previously praised Miller as a "wonderful person" and a "true PATRIOT" while endorsing his congressional campaign.

What Other Republicans Have Said About Miller Running

The controversy has exposed a divide among Republicans over whether Miller should remain on the ballot. While Moreno has publicly called on his former son-in-law to step aside, other prominent Republicans have largely avoided saying that Miller should end his campaign.

House Speaker Mike Johnson was asked about the allegations and Miller’s decision to continue his reelection bid.

"The key word there is allegation," Johnson responded. “We have a process here,” he continued, referring to the Ethics Committee, which has not announced any action regarding Miller. “I’m not in the business of commenting on investigations as they’re in process, and we’ll see how that shakes out.”

Johnson did not call for Miller to withdraw from the race.

Florida Representative Anna Paulina Luna said she knows both Miller and Moreno “personally" and that she did "not know Max to be a violent person and have only ever found him to be incredibly kind and honorable."

Ohio Representative Jim Jordan told CNN that he hopes Miller wins reelection. “He’s done a good job as a member of Congress, and we should all pray for his family. These are all difficult times that they’re going through; we understand that. These kinds of situations always are," he said.

However, another Republican, Representative Nancy Mace of South Carolina, told Politico that the allegations against Miller were “horrific" and "must be investigated."

"If true, he should resign immediately,” she said.

A GOP source told Politico that Republicans were burying their heads in the sand over the Miller situation, which they warned would be an easy target for Democrats.

"How does that affect our candidates at the top of the ticket who are already in tough races?” they asked.

What Democrats Have Said

Democratic challenger Brian Poindexter said in a statement that the allegations were serious and "deserve the full attention of law enforcement."

“If all the allegations against Congressman Miller prove to be true, Max Miller should be in jail, not worried about retaining a seat in Congress," he said.

The leadership of the Democratic Women’s Caucus has called on the House Ethics Committee to open an investigation into Miller, saying in a joint statement, "The recent reports of domestic violence and child abuse against Representative Max Miller are deeply disturbing and Congress can’t ignore them."

“Allegations of violence against women and children have to be met with the utmost seriousness," added the leaders of the caucus, Representatives Teresa Leger Fernández of New Mexico, Emilia Sykes of Ohio and Hillary Scholten of Michigan, said in the statement.

The Ohio Democratic Party has also criticized Miller, saying the allegations should not be dismissed and arguing that voters will consider the controversy when they head to the polls. Party officials have pointed to the race as a potential pickup opportunity as Miller faces increased scrutiny and the contest becomes more competitive.

Latest Polling: Ohio Race Remains Deadlocked Amid Miller Controversy

The race for Ohio's 7th Congressional District has grown increasingly competitive as Miller faces renewed scrutiny over the domestic abuse allegations. While there has not been a public poll since the allegations resurfaced, the most recent survey of the race found the contest effectively tied, underscoring Democrats' belief that the GOP-held seat is now in play.

A June poll conducted by Democratic firm GBAO Strategies found Miller leading Democratic challenger Brian Poindexter 44 percent to 43 percent—well within the survey's 3.5 percentage-point margin of error. The poll memo described the race as statistically tied in a district President Donald Trump carried by double digits in 2024.

Since then, Democrats have intensified their efforts to capitalize on the controversy surrounding Miller, calling for his resignation, requesting a House ethics investigation and signaling they could devote additional resources to the race. Republicans, meanwhile, have continued to back Miller publicly, arguing he can retain the traditionally Republican-leaning district despite the allegations.

What Happens Next?

Unless Miller reverses course before Wednesday's deadline, Ohio Republicans will move into the general election with him as their nominee despite the ongoing controversy.