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In the days before the Ohio deadline for candidates to be replaced, the White House waged a campaign to ensure that alleged abuser Rep. Max Miller (R-Ohio) stayed in his race for reelection, reportedly effectively telling Republicans to “back off” of criticisms of his candidacy.
Politico reported on Monday, citing three sources, that Donald Trump’s political team told Republicans in Ohio in the past week not to publicly criticize Miller. They reportedly said it would “complicate messaging” if Miller stayed in the race and they would then still have to back him — less concerned, seemingly, about the complications that now arise from their backing of a man accused of abusing his ex-wife and their daughter.
An Ohio Republican involved in the discussions told Politico that the White House “basically told us to back off … and let the voters decide.”
Ohio Republicans had reportedly discussed scheduling a meeting to replace Miller, but the White House advised against it, saying that he wasn’t going to drop out and that they wouldn’t be able to find a replacement.
One White House official even told Politico that Miller’s staying in the race seemed inevitable after the House representative compared his situation to the sexual assault allegations against Trump.
Miller has been insistent that he is staying in the race and on Monday surpassed the deadline to be replaced. He is running for reelection against Democrat and union ironworker Brian Poindexter.
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Miller has been facing calls to resign ever since allegations came to light earlier this year that Miller once threw boiling water at his ex-wife, held a gun to her head, and fractured their 2-year-old daughter’s collarbone. The ex-wife in question is Emily Moreno, the daughter of Republican Sen. Bernie Moreno (Ohio).
Since the initial allegations, more disputes have come out, including that Miller recently refused to hand over his daughter’s beloved stuffed bunny for 48 hours, and that Miller accidentally shared pictures online of his daughter that some said could be considered child sex abuse material.
Republicans have largely been mum about Miller despite the allegations. Only a handful of Republicans have called for him to resign or withdraw, including his former father-in-law. Meanwhile, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) said last week that it’s not his “business” to be involved in “domestic events” with his members.
Many within the party believe that Miller will still win the election despite the allegations because Trump won the district by 11 points in 2024.
“It’s still winnable, it’s just going to be expensive,” one Republican told Politico.
Indeed, Politico polling recently found that most Trump supporters say they would still vote for a Republican candidate through numerous scandals. This includes if they were photographed wearing blackface (74 percent); accused of domestic violence (72 percent); or were accused of sexual assault (66 percent).
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