Ohio Rep. Max Miller said he is staying in his reelection race despite abuse allegations and a call from Sen. Bernie Moreno, his former father-in-law, to step aside before Ohio's ballot replacement deadline on Wednesday, August 5, 2026 (NPR).

Moreno said Miller should step aside before next week's ballot deadline, according to NPR, published August 3. The deadline for Ohio Republicans to replace Miller on the November ballot falls on August 5, per the Associated Press (AP).

Miller's reelection bid has faced growing scrutiny since mid-July, when Mother Jones detailed records containing new allegations against the congressman, including drug use, misogyny and verbal abuse, and violent behavior against multiple women (Mother Jones). The report, published July 18, 2026, followed earlier reporting from ABC News on the domestic abuse allegations made by Miller's ex-wife, Emily Moreno, and the questions they raised for his reelection campaign (ABC News).

Bernie Moreno has accused Miller of throwing hot water on Emily Moreno, holding a gun to her head, and physically abusing her in front of their two-year-old child, according to CBS Mornings (CBS Mornings). Politico reported additional details on August 2, 2026, including allegations that Miller poured hot water on Emily Moreno, held a gun to her head, and broke his daughter's collarbone (Politico).

Miller has denied the domestic abuse allegations, as reported by CBS Mornings.

Despite the allegations and Moreno's call to step aside, no Republican had publicly pushed to replace Miller on the ballot as of an August 1 AP report. That leaves the Ohio GOP without an apparent path to substitution if Miller holds his position through the August 5 deadline.

The situation places Ohio Republicans in a narrow procedural window. Under Ohio election law, a major-party nominee can be replaced on the general election ballot if the party certifies a replacement before the applicable deadline. Once that deadline passes, the nominee's name stays on the ballot regardless of what happens next. Miller's refusal to step aside, combined with the absence of any Republican effort to force a substitution, effectively closes that option with days to spare.

Moreno's public break with Miller is notable given their family connection. Moreno is Miller's former father-in-law; Miller was married to Emily Moreno, the senator's daughter. The allegations, as reported, center on conduct during that marriage.

The broader context here is that the political stakes for Ohio Republicans extend beyond a single House seat. The party is running a statewide ticket in 2026, and the allegations against a sitting congressman give Democrats a line of attack they can use across multiple races. Whether the allegations ultimately affect Miller's electoral prospects in his district, or whether they stay a national story without local electoral impact, will become clear only after the ballot deadline passes and the general election campaign formally takes shape.

For now, the verified facts point in one direction: Miller is not leaving, the deadline is days away, and no Republican has moved to replace him.