Rep. Max Miller Faces Domestic Abuse Allegations Amid Ohio Reelection Bid

A sitting congressman's path to a third term now depends on how Ohio Republican Party rules handle candidate replacement, a process that has rarely been tested at this stage of an election cycle.

Rep. Max Miller (R-OH), who represents Ohio's 7th Congressional District, is confronting allegations of domestic abuse made by his ex-wife, Emily Moreno, during an ongoing custody dispute, according to reporting by the Washington Examiner published in the lead-up to the 2026 election cycle. Moreno has alleged that Miller physically abused her during their marriage and endangered their young daughter. Miller has not been criminally charged in connection with these allegations, and no court has made a finding of fact against him on the abuse claims as of the date of this report.

The allegations have prompted public questions about whether Miller will seek a third term in Ohio's 7th Congressional District. Miller was first elected to the seat in 2022 and reelected in 2024, according to Federal Election Commission certified results. His current term runs through January 2027.

Should Miller withdraw from the 2026 race, the mechanism for replacing him as a candidate would fall under Ohio Republican Party rules and Ohio Revised Code provisions governing party candidate replacement after a primary. Under Ohio law, if a certified primary winner withdraws, the relevant party central committee holds authority to designate a replacement nominee. The specific timeline and committee composition would be governed by Ohio Revised Code Chapter 3513, the relevant sections of which are publicly available through the Ohio Secretary of State's office.

Miller's campaign fundraising activity for the 2026 cycle, including any recent disbursements or receipts that could signal his intentions, would be reflected in FEC Form 3 filings available on the Federal Election Commission's public database at fec.gov. As of the publication date of this article, his most recently filed FEC report covers activity through the last mandatory reporting deadline; no formal withdrawal filing has appeared in the FEC's candidate database.

What remains unknown is whether Miller will formally announce his withdrawal from the race, and if so, when. A formal withdrawal would require a public statement and, if he has already qualified as a primary candidate or winner, a written notice to Ohio election authorities. The Ohio Secretary of State's candidate filing records and any subsequent FEC Form 99 termination filing would be the authoritative public documents confirming such a decision.