Max Miller defies resignation calls over abuse allegations as Republicans press him to quit
The Ohio congressman faces domestic abuse allegations from his ex-wife, an ethics investigation and calls to resign from fellow Republicans — yet says he will stay in his re-election race.
Max Miller is a Republican U.S. representative for Ohio's 7th congressional district, serving since 2023. He faces domestic abuse allegations from his ex-wife Emily Moreno, which he denies. Despite calls from fellow Republicans to resign and a House Ethics Committee investigation, Miller says he will remain in his re-election race.
Max Miller, the Republican congressman from Ohio's 7th district, is refusing to resign from the U.S. House despite domestic abuse allegations involving his ex-wife, Emily Moreno. Miller has denied abusing her and says he will stay in his re-election race, even as fellow Republicans, including members of Congress, have called on him to step down. Miller has represented the district since 2023 and previously worked as a political appointee in the first Trump administration. Moreno is the daughter of Ohio Senator Bernie Moreno, making the dispute a fracture inside one of the state's most prominent Republican families. The House Ethics Committee has said it will investigate the allegations; Miller says he will request that investigation himself. The fight now carries direct electoral stakes. Reports suggest Miller is seeking a third term while trailing by double digits in at least one poll, and some Republicans fear the allegations could cost the party his seat. Sources told Axios he could end his bid within days — a claim his public statements flatly contradict.
Abuse allegations and the ethics investigation
The allegations at the centre of the storm involve Miller's ex-wife, Emily Moreno, who is the daughter of Senator Bernie Moreno of Ohio. Domestic abuse allegations involving her became public while Miller was running for re-election to the seat he has held since 2023.
Miller has denied abusing his ex-wife and has denied wrongdoing in connection with the allegations, according to reports.
The House Ethics Committee said it would investigate the domestic abuse allegations against him. Miller said he would request the investigation himself, a move that positioned him as cooperating with the inquiry even as pressure mounted from within his own party.
The committee has not set out a public timeline for its work, and the specific incidents alleged have not been detailed in the reporting consulted. What is clear is that the investigation will proceed while Miller continues to serve as the representative for Ohio's 7th congressional district and pursues another term.
Republicans turn on one of their own
The pressure on Miller has come from inside his own party. Fellow Republicans, including members of Congress, have publicly called on him to resign from the House over the allegations. According to reports, the calls extended to the Senate, where additional Republican senators — among them Miller's former father-in-law, Senator Bernie Moreno of Ohio, the father of Miller's ex-wife Emily Moreno — said he should step down.
The language from within the party has been unusually harsh. One Republican senator described Miller as "a degenerate sociopath," according to reports.
Behind the public statements lies a political calculation. Some Republicans have expressed concern that the allegations put Miller's Ohio seat at risk, raising the prospect that a district the party expects to hold could become competitive. Miller has rejected the calls to quit and denied wrongdoing.
Miller stays in the race as polls worsen
Miller has made clear he intends to seek a third term in the House, rejecting calls to abandon his candidacy even as the allegations against him mounted. According to reports, he went further, loaning his campaign $1 million at a moment when a poll showed him trailing by double digits — a signal, in effect, that he was prepared to spend his own money to keep the race alive.
Yet the pressure appeared to take a toll. Sources told Axios that Miller could end his re-election bid by the end of that week, though he publicly insisted he would stay in. Whether he followed through on any withdrawal remains unclear.
Reporting also suggested that Republican voters were hesitant to abandon Miller over the allegations, complicating the calculations of party figures who feared the controversy could put his Ohio seat at risk.
A new dispute over images of Miller's daughter
The dispute between Miller and his ex-wife took a further turn over images of the couple's young daughter. According to reports, Miller's lawyer acknowledged accidentally sharing undressed images of the child during a legal dispute between the former spouses. A lawyer for Emily Moreno described the shared photos as child sexual abuse material and demanded an explanation for how they came to be distributed.
No explanation from Miller's lawyer has been reported, and it remains unclear how the images were shared or to whom. The claims rest on accounts from the parties' legal representatives and have not been independently verified. The episode added a new and disturbing dimension to an already bitter conflict, one that had until then centred on the abuse allegations themselves and the political fallout surrounding them.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Max Miller, the Ohio congressman?
Max Miller is a Republican U.S. congressman from Ohio who has represented the state's 7th congressional district since 2023. Before entering Congress, he worked as a political appointee in the first Donald Trump administration. He is seeking re-election, reportedly a third term, while facing domestic abuse allegations involving his ex-wife, Emily Moreno, the daughter of Ohio Senator Bernie Moreno.
What are the allegations against Max Miller?
Miller faces domestic abuse allegations involving his ex-wife, Emily Moreno. He has denied abusing her and denied wrongdoing. The specific incidents alleged have not been detailed publicly in the reporting available. The allegations became public while Miller was running for re-election, prompting calls from fellow Republicans for him to resign from the House.
Have Republicans called on Max Miller to resign?
Yes. Fellow Republicans, including members of Congress, have called on Miller to resign from the House. Reports suggest additional Republican senators, including his former father-in-law, also said he should step down, and one Republican senator reportedly described Miller as 'a degenerate sociopath.' Some Republicans expressed concern the allegations put his House seat at risk.
Is Max Miller dropping out of his re-election race?
No. Miller said he would remain in his re-election race despite the allegations, and sources told Axios he could end his bid by the end of that week — though whether he did so is not confirmed. According to reports, he loaned his campaign $1 million while declining calls to end his candidacy, as a poll showed him trailing by double digits.
What is the House Ethics Committee doing about Max Miller?
The House Ethics Committee said it would investigate the domestic abuse allegations against Miller. Miller said he would request the investigation himself. The current status and expected timeline of the investigation have not been disclosed.
Compiled from reporting by 10 independent outlets. How we source our reporting.
