Ohio Republican Rep. Max Miller conceded his bid for a third term on Tuesday, losing to Democrat Brian Poindexter after a campaign shadowed by allegations of abuse and a contentious custody dispute. Miller’s northeastern Ohio district, which backed Donald Trump by 11 percentage points in 2024, saw Poindexter lead by 8 points with 80 percent of votes counted. The outcome follows reporting by Mother Jones detailing allegations of drug use, misogyny, verbal abuse, and violent behavior against Miller, stemming from court filings and police reports. These included accusations from his ex-wife, Emily Moreno, of physical abuse and an incident where she reported their two-year-old daughter suffered a broken collarbone while in Miller’s care; Cuyahoga County’s DCFS investigation found insufficient evidence to substantiate abuse claims. Former White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham also publicly accused Miller of assault, a claim he denies. Senator Bernie Moreno, Emily Moreno’s father, publicly urged Miller to withdraw from the race, calling him a danger to his granddaughter. Miller also faced a defamation lawsuit from Grisham, settled in August 2023, and filed his own defamation suit against his ex-wife. Poindexter, a union ironworker, focused his campaign on affordability, resonating with voters frustrated by high prices. The loss comes as voters express growing frustration with Republican policies, contributing to general GOP fatigue.
In February, Emily Moreno reported that their two-year-old daughter said, “Daddy kill you,” after suffering a broken collarbone and a bruise that appeared to be a handprint. Police investigated, but the DCFS found no evidence Miller harmed the child. Moreno also accused Miller of pushing her during a February 1 custody transfer and intentionally pouring hot water on her during an August 2024 argument, which he denied. Miller, a former special assistant to President Trump, married Moreno in 2022 and filed for divorce on their second anniversary.
Grisham detailed an abusive relationship with an ex-boyfriend she later identified as Miller in her 2021 memoir. Politico reported in 2021 that Miller slapped and shoved Grisham against a wall, and that he pushed a girl down a flight of stairs at a high school party. Miller’s campaign trial in his custody fight will begin on Thursday.
Our reading is that allegations of abuse and a difficult custody battle significantly damaged Max Miller’s standing with voters in a district that otherwise leans Republican. Despite the district’s prior support for Donald Trump, Brian Poindexter’s campaign successfully resonated with voters concerned about affordability, suggesting a shift in priorities beyond partisan loyalty. The combination of public accusations and legal battles appears to have created a narrative that proved difficult for Miller to overcome, even with the district’s historical voting patterns.
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