MAGA Doubles Down on Rep Accused of Abusing Family

The Trump administration has directly ordered Ohio Republicans to stop attacking and instead support GOP Rep. Max Miller, after he made headlines for allegedly abusing his wife and daughter.

This directive comes after Miller insisted that he has no plans to withdraw despite serious allegations of domestic abuse, which he denies. Before this order, some White House officials and Republicans had urged Miller to drop out of his race for reelection so a candidate with fewer accusations could run in his stead.

Dissenting Republicans were told to back off because attacking Miller publicly would complicate messaging when those same leaders would likely later have to promote Miller’s candidacy against a Democratic challenger.

“They basically told us to back off and let the voters decide,” said one Ohio Republican involved in the controversy.

Miller had until 4 p.m. Monday to drop out, and state party leaders would have had to schedule a meeting to discuss his replacement two days before that to quickly replace him.

At one point, Republicans in the state discussed scheduling the required meeting to replace Miller, in the hopes he would be intimidated into dropping out of the race.

Ohio Republicans are now, instead of forcing out a violent candidate, throwing all of their weight and support behind a candidate accused by his former father-in-law, Ohio GOP Sen. Bernie Moreno, of being unfit to serve and needing psychological help. Ohio’s other Republican senator, Jon Husted, has also said Miller should resign and not run for reelection.

Emily Moreno, Miller’s ex-wife, has alleged that Miller held a gun to her head and broke their daughter’s collarbone, in addition to being violent on several occasions. He has also been accused of the cartoonishly evil act of holding his daughter's stuffed bunny toy, which she has had since birth, hostage, in addition to abusing several types of drugs. Many of the allegations were contained in state investigatory documents related to a child abuse probe.

Miller has denied the allegations by showing a trove of “proof” that only makes him look more guilty. Ring camera footage, secretly recorded phone calls and the world’s sweatiest denial video.

These allegations of abuse and violence would be career-ending in a normal time - or even for a democratic nominee. But in the MAGA Republican Party this is just par for the course.

Now Miller is in a competitive race against Democrat Brian Poindexter, a union ironworker running on a platform of affordability and ending the war in Iran.

“As I’ve said before, if the accusations against Max Miller are proven true, he should be in prison, not in Congress. It’s unfortunate that Miller has chosen to keep putting his ex-wife and her family through this nightmare in the public spotlight,” Poindexter said in a statement when it became clear that Miller was staying in the race.

“But let me be perfectly clear. I got into this campaign to fight for my neighbors and for working people across this district. That continues to be my north star.”

Some National Republicans argue the seat will inevitably vote for Miller, seeing as the reliably conservative district was won by Trump by 11 points in 2024. Republican National Committee Chair Joe Gruters said that the party’s main campaign fundraising arm would likely continue to support Miller’s reelection bid despite polling showing Miller underwater in his district.

“We’re gonna support our nominees,” Gruters said. “We need to make sure we hold the majorities. Max, I’m sure, is on that side, but listen, everybody has to prove that they are capable of winning, and then we’re going to look at our resources and make the decisions.”

He had no comment on the allegations of abuse Miller is facing.

But other Republicans fear that Miller’s decision to remain in the race will force party committees to spend heavily.

“It’s still winnable, it’s just going to be expensive,” said one Republican strategist.

What an odd thing to say about wanting to platform an abuser so he looks good enough for you to keep your party majority.

Very tellingly, another White House official last week compared his situation to attempts over the years to take down Trump for similar accusations of abuse and misconduct.

“I don’t think he’s going anywhere,” the White House official said after Trump spoke personally with Miller on the matter.