Rep. Max Miller remains on the November ballot for Ohio’s 7th Congressional District amid mounting domestic abuse allegations, creating a sharp public split with his former father-in-law, Sen. Bernie Moreno. With ballot replacement deadlines passing, Ohio Republicans face a stark choice between keeping Miller or leaving the seat vacant.
Ohio’s Ballot Deadlines Leave Republicans With Limited Options
Rep. Max Miller (R-Ohio) has refused to step down from his re-election bid despite calls from party members to exit the race. Representing northeast Ohio, the congressman is running for his third consecutive term in the U.S. House of Representatives. That stubborn refusal has backed state party leadership into a corner as strict election calendars approach.
According to Ohio election law, the deadline to replace a candidate falls 86 days before the election. Because that date landed on a Sunday, the Secretary of State’s office confirmed the official cutoff was 4 p.m. Monday. County Republican Party chairs are required to give two days’ notice before meeting to select a replacement. Consequently, even if Miller had resigned Monday before the deadline, local parties lacked sufficient time to meet and certify a successor.
As a result, Ohio Republicans face a stark choice between running Miller or leaving the ballot blank. Miller is slotted to face Democratic nominee Brian Poindexter, a union ironworker backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, in a district that voted reliably Republican in past presidential cycles.
Dueling Allegations and the Family Rift With Sen. Bernie Moreno
The campaign turmoil follows an acrimonious legal battle and public split with Miller’s ex-wife, Emily Moreno, who is the daughter of Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio). Emily Moreno has accused the congressman of physical abuse during their marriage, alleging in court documents that he held a gun to her head, threw her against a wall, threw hot water from a skillet, and sprayed her with a kitchen sink hose during a 2024 argument.
During a livestream on X, Miller denied throwing scalding water, acknowledged spraying her with the hose as horseplay
, and maintained he never intended to cause harm. He also denied causing injuries to the couple’s 2-year-old daughter. Court records indicate that child welfare investigators found two reports alleging abuse of the child to be unsubstantiated, while prosecutors declined to pursue criminal charges after finding insufficient admissible evidence.
Following Miller’s remarks, Sen. Bernie Moreno condemned his former son-in-law in sharp terms, breaking months of public silence to protect family privacy.
Moreno added that if there are any basic standards of character required to hold elected office, Max Miller fails them
and asserted that the congressman should not continue serving in the House. Ohio’s other senator, Republican Jon Husted, also urged Miller to step aside to focus on the best interests of his daughter.
Miller fired back at his former father-in-law, arguing in a statement that if the senator genuinely believed the accusations, he would not have waited years to speak publicly. Miller claimed he was speaking up to set the record straight about his family and dismissed the criticism as an effort to distract from a media circus.
White House Response and Republican Replacement Discussions
The controversy has drawn attention from party leadership at the national level. Asked aboard Air Force One whether Miller should resign, President Donald Trump told reporters he would look into the matter, noting that so far, it’s accusations
.
Before the ballot deadlines solidified his position as the remaining candidate, Republican sources discussed several potential contenders to fill the seat if Miller had stepped aside. Those figures included State Representative Mike Dovilla of Berea, former U.S. Representative Jim Renacci of Wadsworth, State Representative Melanie Miller of Ashland, and former State Senator Kevin Coughlin of Bath Township. Renacci confirmed he received calls regarding a potential run for his old seat but noted his belief that Miller intended to stay in the contest.
Miller faces an ongoing investigation by the U.S. House Ethics Committee into the allegations at the congressman’s own request. With campaign events shifting—including the cancellation of a planned rally in Strongsville due to venue security threats—Miller maintains his confidence heading toward the general election.
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