Max Miller locked in as Ohio 7th District GOP nominee amid abuse claims

The deadline for Ohio Republicans to replace Rep. Max Miller on the November ballot has now passed, effectively locking in the embattled congressman as the GOP nominee in Ohio’s 7th Congressional District.

Miller, who has resisted calls to end his re-election campaign, would have needed to withdraw by Saturday evening to give Republican officials enough time to select a replacement and complete the steps needed to meet Monday’s 4 p.m. certification deadline under Ohio election rules.

Instead, Miller is staying in the race despite mounting pressure from fellow Republicans to step aside over domestic-abuse allegations made by his ex-wife, Emily Moreno, the daughter of Republican Sen. Bernie Moreno.

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Rep. Max Miller, R-Ohio, attends the Ways and Means Committee hearing on the priorities of the Treasury Department in Longworth building on June 4, 2026. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

As Fox News Digital previously reported, the controversy escalated last week when Sen. Moreno publicly called on his former son-in-law to resign from Congress, bringing a years-long family dispute and contentious divorce into the national political spotlight.

Moreno had previously avoided publicly weighing in on the dispute, but broke his silence after Miller posted a livestream denying allegations of domestic and child abuse. Moreno accused Miller of increasingly “erratic and dangerous behavior” and said he should not serve in the House of Representatives.

Miller has denied the allegations, saying no court or agency has substantiated claims that he committed abuse and that he has never been criminally charged in connection with the dispute. He has also sued his ex-wife for defamation.

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Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, issued a public statement earlier this month calling on his former son-in-law, Rep. Max Miller, to resign from Congress. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

With the withdrawal window now closed, Republicans have no apparent path to replace Miller on the ballot through a voluntary withdrawal.

The controversy comes as Republicans fight to protect their narrow House majority. Miller represents a district that has generally favored the GOP, with President Donald Trump carrying it by roughly 11 points in 2024.

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The showdown comes as Republicans look to defend their narrow House majority in November’s midterm elections, where control of Congress is at stake and every competitive seat could prove critical. (Al Drago/Getty Images)

Miller is now poised to face Democrat Brian Poindexter, a union ironworker, in November, giving Democrats an opportunity to compete for a Republican-leaning seat that otherwise would have been expected to remain in GOP hands.