https://www.washingtonsun.com/ohio Ohio en-US Fri, 11 Sep 2026 22:19:34 GMT https://www.washingtonsun.com/senate/husted-fires-political-director-over-past-nazi-posts Gavin J. Quinton The former staffer had posted profile photos featuring Nazi officers and wore the attire in a group photo in 2018. Fri, 11 Sep 2026 22:19:34 GMT https://www.washingtonsun.com/senate/husted-fires-political-director-over-past-nazi-posts Sen. Jon Husted fired his campaign’s political director Friday after discovering the staffer had posted Nazi imagery on social media and made playlists of songs celebrating Rhodesia, an unrecognized south African state often touted by white supremacists.

Stephen Woytek, who joined the Ohio Republican’s campaign last month, had posted profile photos depicting Nazi officers on his Facebook page and published links to a military reenactment group whose members dress up as Nazi officers. Woytek himself is pictured wearing the attire with the members of the group in photos from 2018, when he was 16 years old, according to The Washington Post, which first reported the social media activity earlier Friday.

A campaign spokesperson described Woytek as a “lieutenant in the U.S. Army” who studies military history and routinely “reenacts historical battles,” but said that Husted “quickly” opted to remove him from his staff after learning of the posts.

“While he denies negative intent, [Woytek’s] social media activity displays a complete lack of judgement and disregard for its impact on others,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “Sen. Husted demands better of those who represent him. Upon learning about the social media posts today, Sen. Husted made the immediate decision to part ways.”

Woytek also maintained public Spotify playlists with songs honoring the now-defunct nation of Rhodesia, which is revered by white supremacists online.

The former staffer expressed in a statement to The Post that he should have exercised better judgment on social media, and did not want to distract from Husted’s race.

“I want to be unequivocal,” Woytek told The Post before he was fired. “I reject the racist and antisemitic ideology the SS and Nazi Germany represented. I believe it is important to educate our younger generations, which is why I participate in historical reenactments.”]]> https://www.washingtonsun.com/campaigns/vivek-ramaswamy-deletes-viral-batting-cage-video-baseball-swing Torrie Herrington The clip became an online punch line after an eyewitness raised questions about how the footage was edited. Thu, 10 Sep 2026 17:22:34 GMT https://www.washingtonsun.com/campaigns/vivek-ramaswamy-deletes-viral-batting-cage-video-baseball-swing Vivek Ramaswamy deleted a campaign video of himself taking swings in a batting cage after the clip became an online punch line and an eyewitness raised questions about how the footage was edited.

The Ohio Republican gubernatorial nominee posted the video Tuesday as part of a series outlining “10 things” he would do as governor. Between policy pitches, the video showed Ramaswamy taking swings from an automatic pitching machine.

The footage quickly drew criticism from Democrats and others who mocked Ramaswamy’s form.

David Pepper, the Ohio Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor running alongside gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton, used the video to take a broader shot at Ramaswamy’s business career.

“If you think Vivek’s baseball swing is atrocious, wait til you see the disturbing way he first made his millions,” Pepper wrote on X.

The Ohio Democratic Party also took the opportunity to mock Ramaswamy, posting a press release titled “Swing and a Miss! Ten Ways Vivek Ramaswamy Would Strike Out for Ohio’s Working Families.”
https://x.com/KFILE/status/2097703077469921678?s=20Rep. Chris Deluzio (D-Pennsylvania) also piled on, writing on Facebook that unless something is done about Ramaswamy’s “private equity friends” driving up the cost of youth sports, “American kids will grow up thinking that’s how you hit a baseball.” He accompanied the post with a video of himself in a batting cage.

Ryan Busse, a former Democratic congressional candidate in Montana, mocked Ramaswamy’s swing as particularly at odds with the Republican Party’s emphasis on masculinity.

“The party of ultimate masculinity highlights a gov candidate swinging a bat with the force and form of an 87yr old grandmother,” Busse posted on X.

But the criticism went beyond jokes about Ramaswamy’s swing.

Michael Peacock, who said he was at the same batting cage when Ramaswamy filmed the video, told TiffinOhio.net that Ramaswamy took roughly 25 pitches and made contact only a handful of times. Peacock also said the campaign appeared to reuse footage from the same few swings.

The campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The original video is no longer available on Ramaswamy’s social media accounts, though copies and screenshots continue to circulate online.

Ramaswamy will face Acton in the general election Nov. 3. Recent polling shows the two neck and neck in the race.]]> https://www.washingtonsun.com/2026-election/prosecutor-charging-case-amy-acton-ohio Associated Press The man had weapons but never brandished them, authorities said. Wed, 09 Sep 2026 00:23:47 GMT https://www.washingtonsun.com/2026-election/prosecutor-charging-case-amy-acton-ohio By JOEY CAPPELLETTI and JAMIE STENGLE

CANFIELD, Ohio — An armed man accused of charging toward Ohio gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton during a campaign stop at a fair was trying to ask the Democrat questions, a prosecutor said during the man's arraignment Tuesday.

No one has publicly said what 38-year-old Patrick Havas wanted to ask Acton, but authorities have said he never brandished or unholstered the weapons he had on him and they haven't found any threats in a search of his cellphone. As he charged toward Acton, authorities said, he knocked down two people before troopers stopped him.

Havas pleaded not guilty to two counts of assault, one count of disorderly conduct and one count of inducing panic. His bond was set at $5,000.

He was arrested after authorities said he knocked people down while forcing his way through a crowd Sunday as Acton spoke under a tent at the fair in Canfield in northeastern Ohio. Authorities said he had two handguns, a taser and a set of brass knuckles.

“He appeared in that tent wanting to ask questions,” Mahoning County Prosecutor Lynn Maro told the judge during the hearing. “You should know law enforcement gained consent for them to have complete access to his cellphone so they found no threats.”

Maro said after the hearing that the video Havas took shows him “walking into the tent recording and moving forward, calling out her name.” Acton, a physician, is the state’s former public health director.

“All he got out was Dr. Acton, Dr. Acton,” Maro said.

Maro said that the investigation is continuing, and noted the Mahoning County Sheriff's Office is asking the public for any video capturing what happened.

Acton’s security detail, made up of troopers with the Ohio State Highway Patrol, intercepted Havas as he forced his way through the crowd, the agency has said. A highway patrol spokesman said they did not have any bodycam footage from the incident.

Two people were treated at the scene on Sunday and released, according to an incident report from the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office.

Mike Ray, a city councilman in Youngstown who is also a member of the Ohio Democratic Party’s executive committee, said he was in a corner behind Acton as she spoke. Then, he said, he could tell that something was going on among those in the crowd facing Acton, and he saw two people who were standing in front of their mobility scooters “tumble to the ground.”

Havas’ attorney, J. Gerald Ingram, said at the hearing that his client has lived with his mother in Canfield for the past 30 years and is not a flight risk.

“He really has nowhere to go,” said Ingram, who declined to make any comments after the hearing.

The Ohio gubernatorial race is one of the most high-profile races this year as the campaigns enter the final six weeks of campaigning before the election in November. Acton is facing Republican Vivek Ramaswamy, who has parlayed his national name recognition, tech industry connections and alliance with President Donald Trump into a record fundraising haul. Ramaswamy’s campaign called the incident unacceptable.

The judge on Tuesday ordered that Havas have no contact with Acton or the two people who were knocked down, and that he forfeit any guns. He was also ordered to refrain from speaking with the media.

Addie Bullock, spokesperson for the Acton campaign, said in a statement following the hearing that Acton and her husband were “grateful to see the rule of law upheld,” and extended their “continued appreciation to law enforcement.”

Former U.S. Rep. John Boccieri, a Democratic candidate for the Ohio House, said he was near Acton in the tent when Havas “came in very aggressively” with his cellphone in the air screaming Acton’s name while rushing toward her. He said officers quickly “sprang into action,” grabbed the man and pulled him out of the tent.

Boccieri said he immediately jumped forward to make sure Acton was OK, which she was. And, he said, she’d already started helping a man who was face down in the mud after being knocked down.

___

Stengle contributed to this report from Dallas.
]]> https://www.washingtonsun.com/2026-election/ohio-gubernatorial-candidate-amy-acton-attacked Jenna Monnin Acton was unharmed but multiple people were reportedly injured. Sun, 06 Sep 2026 21:42:37 GMT https://www.washingtonsun.com/2026-election/ohio-gubernatorial-candidate-amy-acton-attacked Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton was attacked at an event in Canfield, Ohio, her campaign said in a statement.

“While attending the Canfield Fair, an armed individual lunged at Dr. Acton, injuring multiple people,” campaign spokesperson Addie Bullock said in a statement posted to X on Sunday.

The attacker was taken into police custody and was found to be in possession of several weapons, said Chris Anderson, the chairman of the Mahoning County Democratic Party.

“Moments ago during a visit from Dr. Amy Acton, an individual was arrested at the MCDP tent with multiple weapons, after knocking volunteers to the ground,” Anderson wrote in a post on X.

The candidate was unharmed, The Associated Press reported.

Acton’s spokesperson said the candidate was grateful for the “swift and decisive action of law enforcement” after the incident.

“This kind of violence has no place in Ohio,” Bullock said. “Dr. Acton will always stand up to the chaos, hate and vitriol that pits us against one another.”

The campaign of Republican gubernatorial nominee Vivek Ramaswamy condemned the attack.

“Candidates should be able to meet with voters without having to worry about threats or violence,” campaign spokesperson Connie Luck wrote in a statement. “What happened today is completely unacceptable and has no place in politics, and we hope that no one was hurt.”

The Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The attack spurred a wave of support from Democrats and Republicans online.

Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Arizona) — whose wife, former Rep. Gabby Giffords, survived an assassination attempt in 2011 — said he spoke with Acton after the incident.

“She’s tough. There’s no place in our society for political violence. An issue that unfortunately Gabby and I are very familiar with,” Kelly wrote on X.

Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio) wrote on X that “there is no place for this kind of behavior, and it must never be tolerated.”

This story has been updated with further details.]]> https://www.washingtonsun.com/courts/max-miller-emily-moreno-photo-daughter Jenna Monnin Earlier this month, the Ohio Republican released a trove of digital files meant to defend himself in the pair’s ongoing dispute over domestic violence allegations. Wed, 12 Aug 2026 23:12:12 GMT https://www.washingtonsun.com/courts/max-miller-emily-moreno-photo-daughter Emily Moreno, the ex-wife of Rep. Max Miller, filed a federal lawsuit against the congressman and his attorney accusing them of “recklessly” publishing a nude photo of Miller and Moreno’s daughter.

On Aug. 2, Miller — an Ohio Republican who Moreno has accused of domestic abuse — released the photo in question in a trove of digital files to defend himself amid the pair’s ongoing and escalating dispute. The Dropbox included a picture with their 2-year-old without her shirt on, according to the filing, while another photo shows their 2-year-old naked from the side. Moreno says the images constitute child sexual abuse material, or CSAM, under federal law. Miller’s attorney, Aaron Minc, initially took responsibility for releasing the image before it was removed from the Dropbox folder.

“Faced with a mostly self-inflicted dumpster fire of public attention to his reputation for abusive behavior, Miller so desperately wanted to salvage his political job, that he recklessly and intentionally provided Minc a trove of documents and photos, indifferent about what they contained or how they were used,” the suit — which Moreno filed on behalf of their daughter — reads.

Neither Miller nor Minc responded to NOTUS’ request for comment on the lawsuit. Miller is currently engaged in other legal battles related to allegations of domestic violence from Moreno and his ex-girlfriend Stephanie Grisham.

The legal criteria for an image to be considered CSAM include a visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving someone less than 18 years old.

In emails exchanged with Moreno’s legal team after the incident, Minc called the accusations “outrageous and false” because of the picture’s “innocent” nature.

“Please explain to me, right now, what knowledge you have and relied on when you leaked that letter to the press that the photos attached to that exhibit ‘could be considered’ CSAM,” Minc wrote in an Aug. 4 email to Moreno’s legal team. “Keep in mind, this photo was taken by your own client and shared over a court-sanctioned communications platform.”

“We are not going to debate with you whether the image ‘could be considered’ CSAM. Our view is that it could,” Subodh Chandra, Moreno’s legal counsel, responded less than an hour later. He added that if Miller’s team now thinks publicly sharing an image that appears to include “genitalia is just fine, then that would be most unfortunate.”

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, says Miller and his lawyer violated federal and state law by posting the photo. Moreno, on behalf of her child, is seeking compensatory damages for “pain and suffering” as well as “emotional distress.”

The lawsuit demands the court award $150,000 in damages for “every time someone accessed, transferred, distributed, published, or downloaded the image” of their daughter. Miller’s social media posts linking to the public file folder generated more than 400,000 total views, according to the filing.

“I am solely responsible for what happened,” Minc said in a statement to Politico on Aug. 4. “I was the only person responsible for assembling, creating, reviewing, adding, deleting, redacting, or making any changes to the information and files that were in this folder.”

The two-term congressman will remain on the ballot ahead of the November midterms despite calls from several high-profile Republicans — including his former father-in-law, Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) — to drop out of the race.

Miller has said he plans to lend his campaign $1 million ahead the general election, where he is set to face Democrat Brian Poindexter.

This story has been updated to reflect that the Dropbox link provided by Miller includes a naked photo of the child.]]> https://www.washingtonsun.com/money/michael-rulli-stock-disclosures Dave Levinthal Rep. Michael Rulli failed to properly reveal trades in Palantir, Pfizer and several tech giants. Tue, 11 Aug 2026 15:13:43 GMT https://www.washingtonsun.com/money/michael-rulli-stock-disclosures Rep. Michael Rulli failed to properly disclose 22 personal stock trades, according to a NOTUS review of new congressional financial records, making him the latest member of Congress to violate a federal insider trading and transparency law.

The Ohio Republican was months late revealing that he had bought or sold shares in companies including defense and immigration contractor Palantir, pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and several tech companies, such as Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta, Microsoft, Nvidia and Oracle.

Rulli is a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over telecommunications, consumer protection, drug safety, energy policy, and interstate and foreign commerce.

Together, Rulli’s tardy trades are worth between $22,022 and $330,000 — lawmakers are only required to disclose their trades in broad ranges — and the oldest are from late 2024, congressional financial records indicate.

The Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act requires members of Congress to publicly disclose individual stock trades no later than 45 days after making them.

Rulli’s congressional office acknowledged NOTUS’ request for comment Monday but did not otherwise respond to questions, including whether he paid a fine for his late disclosures. House Ethics Committee-administered penalties begin at $200.

A freshman lawmaker, Rulli is one of the wealthiest members of Ohio’s congressional delegation, according to NOTUS’ Capitol Gains project, which tracks wealth of federal lawmakers.

Rulli’s STOCK Act disclosure violation coincides with a Republican-backed effort in Congress to ban federal lawmakers from buying individual stocks at all. The Stop Insider Trading Act passed the House in July and awaits consideration in the Senate. Rulli voted in favor of the bill.Dozens of federal lawmakers have failed to comply with the existing STOCK Act, which Congress passed in 2012 to govern its own members’ behavior regarding the intersection of their personal finances and duties to the public.

Just this week, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Oregon), who supports a ban on members of Congress trading stock, violated the STOCK Act’s disclosure rules. He failed to properly disclose a six-figure stock share exchange from 2025 and made by his wife, Politico first reported.

In an email to NOTUS, Wyden spokesperson Hank Stern said the exchange was “automatic and done without direction by the senator’s wife” and that Wyden learned of it while preparing his annual personal financial disclosure.

“She’s an independent small businesswoman who keeps separate finances from her husband and she has a small business to keep afloat,” Stern said, adding that while Wyden supports a congressional stock-trading ban that also extends to the president of the United States, “he’s not going to ask his wife to upend her small business before there’s a clear set of rules for everyone.”

Other senators who’ve violated the STOCK Act during the past year include Sens. Alan Armstrong (R-Oklahoma), Katie Britt (R-Alabama), Susan Collins (R-Maine), John Hickenlooper (D-Colorado), Mike Rounds (R-South Dakota) and John Fetterman (D-Pennsylvania).

In the House, STOCK Act violators include Reps. Julie Johnson (D-Texas), Linda Sánchez (D-California), Julia Letlow (R-Louisiana), Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), Lisa McClain (R-Michigan), Pat Ryan (D-New York), Sheri Biggs (R-South Carolina), Donald Norcross (D-New Jersey), Tim Walberg (R-Michigan), Rich McCormick (R-Georgia), Ritchie Torres (D-New York), Troy Nehls (R-Texas), Dan Meuser (R-Pennsylvania), Jonathan Jackson (D-Illinois), George Whitesides (D-California), Val Hoyle (D-Oregon), Austin Scott (R-Georgia), Shri Thanedar (D-Michigan), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Florida), Pramila Jayapal (D-Washington), Kelly Morrison (D-Minnesota), Christian Menefee (D-Texas), Daniel Webster (R-Florida), Ed Case (D-Hawaii), Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas), Laurel Lee (R-Florida) and Scott Franklin (R-Florida). Rep. Kevin Hern (R-Oklahoma) was also late, although his office denies it.

This article has been updated to include a post-publication comment from Sen. Ron Wyden's spokesperson.]]> https://www.washingtonsun.com/2026-election/max-miller-ballot-republican-party-november Adora Brown While both Ohio senators have denounced Miller, the RNC chair says, “We’re gonna support our nominees.” Mon, 10 Aug 2026 21:58:48 GMT https://www.washingtonsun.com/2026-election/max-miller-ballot-republican-party-november Rep. Max Miller will remain on the ballot in Ohio.

Despite calls from several high-profile Republicans in the state and nationally, the embattled congressman is planning to continue his reelection for the House and did not withdraw by the Monday deadline that would have allowed his party to replace him on the midterm ballot.

Even if Miller had suspended his campaign on Monday, the Republican Party would have needed to find a loophole to state law requiring a two-day notice for the party’s committees in the most populous counties in Ohio’s 7th Congressional District to meet to nominate a replacement.

Now, it’s up to party leaders to figure out if they will continue to back Miller, who faces allegations of domestic and child abuse. He denies the accusations.

“This district should remain Republican,” Mehek Cooke, a Republican strategist from Ohio, told NOTUS in a statement. “But no seat should be taken for granted especially when a candidate's personal controversies begin overshadowing our record and the work we still have left to do.”

Miller’s district had been ranked as “solid Republican” by Inside Elections since September 2013, but was downgraded to “lean Republican” last Thursday. The controversy leaves an opening for Democratic candidate Brian Poindexter, an ironworker.

Poindexter told CNN on Thursday that Miller has been absent in his district and voters couldn’t pick him out of a lineup. “Working people show up every single day and put in the hours to keep America moving forward,” Poindexter posted on X. “Their representative to Congress should too.”

“With more gasoline being thrown on the fire, it's hard to predict what's going to happen in three months with turnout and how people are going to lean,” said Terry Casey, a GOP strategist. “Clearly, the campaign's going to shift in this one, and other ones, to both firing up the base and trying to make the argument to independent and swing voters that the opponent is far worse and more dangerous.”

Trump has spoken positively about Miller, who served as an aide in Trump’s first administration, calling him a “good guy” just last Monday. Axios reported that the president called Miller and said "things aren't looking good" for his reelection campaign.

Top Republican leaders in Congress, including Speaker Mike Johnson, have also avoided direct answers about Miller’s candidacy.

Sen. Bernie Moreno, the ex-father-in-law of Miller whose daughter accused Miller of abuse, has condemned Miller after initially steering clear of answering questions about the situation.

After a nearly 20-minute livestream on Aug. 2 from Miller recounting his side of the story, Moreno released a statement saying that Miller “is a danger to my daughter, and I hold my breath every minute he has custody of my granddaughter.”

“He should not serve in the House of Representatives,” he added.

Sens. Jon Husted (R-Ohio), Jim Banks (R-Indiana), Tim Sheehy (R-Montana) and Roger Marshall (R-Kansas) have also denounced Miller.

Miller is still the Republican nominee, and the party’s leader says it’ll back him.

“We’re gonna support our nominees. We need to make sure we hold the majorities,” the chair of the Republican National Committee, Florida state Sen. Joe Gruters, told NewsNation on Sunday.

Miller has raised more than double the campaign funds as Poindexter as of June 30.]]> https://www.washingtonsun.com/ohio/max-miller-jon-husted-resign Jenna Monnin Both Ohio senators have now urged the embattled congressman to step down over allegations of domestic abuse. Thu, 06 Aug 2026 19:04:57 GMT https://www.washingtonsun.com/ohio/max-miller-jon-husted-resign Sen. Jon Husted called on Rep. Max Miller to resign from the House on Thursday, after remaining mostly tight-lipped when asked earlier this week about the ongoing controversy involving the fellow Ohio Republican.

“Anyone who commits domestic violence is not fit to serve in Congress,” Husted wrote on X. “The House Ethics Committee should thoroughly investigate any credible allegations, and any member found to have committed domestic violence should resign from Congress immediately.”

The Ohio Republican said he is “deeply saddened” that Miller and his ex-wife Emily Moreno’s personal lives “have become such a public matter.”

“I believe Max would be making the right decision to step aside as a candidate and resign from Congress to focus on what is in the best interest of his daughter,” he wrote.

Husted’s comments follow those from Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio), Emily Moreno’s father, who on Sunday called for Miller to step down and seek professional help. Sen. Moreno told CNN on Thursday that he has moved his daughter and granddaughter “out of state to a secure place” as the controversy heightens around her ex-husband.

Earlier this week, Husted told NewsMax he wanted to let those involved “sort through this at a family level” and added that he hoped President Donald Trump would intervene to “move things along.” Husted declined to comment last week when NOTUS asked him if Miller should be replaced on the ballot in his race for Ohio’s 7th Congressional District.

When asked why it took him until now to call on Miller to resign, Husted told reporters: “That speaks for itself.”

The House Ethics Committee opened an investigation into allegations of domestic violence and illegal drug use after the congressman demanded an ethics probe into himself on Tuesday.

Emily Moreno has accused Miller of throwing scalding water on her, shoving her against a wall and holding a gun to her head. He has denied those allegations and another claim that he caused his daughter’s broken collarbone.

Despite mounting calls for him to resign, the two-term congressman has said he plans to stay in the race. Miller told CNN that House Speaker Mike Johnson is “standing behind” him — though Johnson later said things “don’t look good” for Miller in an interview with Politico.]]> https://www.washingtonsun.com/2026-election/max-miller-corporate-campaign-donors Dave Levinthal Dozens of company and trade group PACs refuse to say whether they’ll ditch — or defend — the Ohio Republican. Wed, 05 Aug 2026 22:00:10 GMT https://www.washingtonsun.com/2026-election/max-miller-corporate-campaign-donors Dozens of different corporate interests combined to fill Rep. Max Miller’s reelection account with six-figures worth of campaign cash in recent weeks.

But now, amid accusations that Miller abused his daughter and now ex-wife — accusations the congressman denies — his business allies are falling silent.

Of the more than 35 corporate and trade association political action committees that contributed at least $1,000 to Miller’s campaign since mid-April, according to Federal Election Commission records, all either ignored or declined to answer questions from NOTUS about their relationship with the Republican lawmaker.

Among those questions: Do they continue to support Miller for a third term representing Ohio’s 7th Congressional District? Have they requested refunds of previous donations? Will they give Miller’s campaign money in the future?

Among the corporate PACs that wouldn’t openly distance themselves from — or defend — Miller: TD Bank, Citigroup, ConocoPhillips, John Deere & Co., Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, Pfizer, Genentech, Cencora, Altria, Tenaska and Elevance Health.

Trade association PACs that are remaining similarly mum on Miller include those of the Allied Pilots Association, Advanced Medical Technology Association, America’s Health Insurance Plans, American Dental Association, American Academy of Sleep Medicine, American Investment Council, American Bankers Association, International Franchise Association, International Council of Shopping Centers, Investment Company Institute, National Apartment Association, National Roofing Contractors Association, National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors, Healthcare Distribution Alliance, National Association of Convenience Stores, National Electrical Contractors Association, Ohio Corn and Wheat Growers Association, United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America and the Farm Credit Council.

Associated General Contractors of America spokesperson Brian Turmail confirmed in an email that his organization’s PAC contributed $2,500 to Miller’s campaign this spring, but he wouldn’t otherwise comment.

Meanwhile, several special interest group PACs also did not respond to repeated inquiries, including the House Conservatives Fund, American Israel Public Affairs Committee and Pakistani American Public Affairs Committee.

Miller’s campaign did not respond to requests for comment on whether PACs have requested refunds or otherwise communicated their future intentions.

Miller says he isn’t dropping out of his race despite the accusations and a call for him to step aside by Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio), the father of Miller’s ex-wife, Emily Moreno.

“If there are any basic standards of character required to hold elected office, Max Miller fails them. He should not serve in the House of Representatives,” Bernie Moreno wrote on X. “I believe Max Miller needs to seek professional help to end the clear pattern of abuse he has left in his wake. I believe he should not be free to continue endangering others until he does.”

This week, Miller’s attorney released naked photos of Miller’s young daughter and also revealed her name as part of a cache of documents intended to bolster Miller’s assertions of innocence. The attorney, Aaron Minc, said the release was “completely unintentional and a mistake.”

Miller, for his part, told PBS News Hour: “No criminal charge has ever been filed against me. My former wife is engaging in a pattern of reporting incredible, serious and destructive allegations with absolutely no evidence.”

Ohio law gives Republicans a deadline of Monday to replace a congressional nominee on the November ballot, meaning Miller would have to abandon his reelection campaign by then in order for the party to nominate someone else.

As matters stand, Miller is set to face Democrat Brian Poindexter in a race the Cook Political Report scores as “likely Republican.”]]> https://www.washingtonsun.com/ohio/bernie-moreno-max-miller-ballot Adora Brown The senator’s daughter accused Miller of domestic violence. Miller denies the allegations, but they’re making his reelection race tighter. Fri, 31 Jul 2026 17:52:39 GMT https://www.washingtonsun.com/ohio/bernie-moreno-max-miller-ballot Sen. Bernie Moreno of Ohio is unsure whether Rep. Max Miller should stay on the ballot in his House district after Miller was accused of domestic violence by his ex-wife — who is also the senator’s daughter.

“I don’t know,” Moreno told NOTUS when asked if Republicans should replace Miller on the ticket.

Republicans, including Moreno, have said little about the allegations against Miller, even as Miller’s reelection race grows tighter. His seat in Ohio is one of many that could determine which party controls the House next year. On Thursday, Sabato’s Crystal Ball downgraded his seat from “likely Republican” to “leans Republican.”

“While we won’t dignify this baseless attacks by Democrats and their media allies, Senator Moreno will not speak on active litigation involving his family,” Reagan McCarthy, a spokesperson for Moreno, told NOTUS in a statement.

Other Republicans have also largely held back from admonishing Miller. When asked on Thursday why he has allowed Miller to stay in the House Republican conference, Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters, “The key word there is ‘allegation,’” and added that there’s an investigative process that would need to play out before a member of Congress is removed.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican, told an ABC station in Ohio on Wednesday that the allegations are “serious and certainly troubling,” but added that “the people of his district are going to have to weigh the facts. They're the ones who decide who they want to represent them."

Miller has held the seat since 2023 and ran uncontested in May’s primary election. He was a political aide to President Donald Trump during his first term.

Trump endorsed Miller in his first run, when he launched a primary against Republican Rep. Anthony Gonzalez, who voted to impeach the president. He once again gave Miller his “complete and total endorsement” for his reelection in May, adding that the representative “WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN!” in a Truth Social post.

A source familiar with the matter told NOTUS that the president has no plans to withdraw his endorsement of Miller in light of the allegations of domestic violence and child abuse.

The deadline for Miller to drop out and be replaced through a special election is August 5.

Miller did not respond to a request for comment.

Emily Moreno, the senator’s daughter, has alleged that Miller abused her and their daughter in court filings and police records obtained by Mother Jones. The couple filed for divorce in 2024, and on Thursday, her lawyers reportedly filed for a new restraining order against her ex-husband.

The New York Times reported that in legal filings Emily Moreno had previously accused Miller of burning her by throwing hot water on her body, holding a gun to her head, pushing her hard enough to cause an injury and breaking their daughter’s collarbone.

Miller has denied these accusations and called Emily Moreno a woman who “isn’t all there.” Miller has sued Moreno for defamation.

The restraining order requested by Emily Moreno’s lawyers on Thursday alleges that Miller “harassed, threatened, and communicated directly” with Moreno’s attorneys and “placed his hands” on one of her lawyers.

Some of the allegations that Miller faces go back to his time in the first Trump administration. Stephanie Grisham, a former White House press secretary who dated Miller, published an op-ed in 2021 alleging an abusive relationship with a former boyfriend, whom she identified as a White House staffer and someone Trump endorsed for a bid in Congress after she warned the president about the abuse. Miller filed a defamation suit against Grisham in 2021, even though Grisham had avoided including his name.

The matter ended in a settlement in 2023, but Grisham filed a lawsuit against Miller in early July after he spoke about her in several interviews, saying the public comments violated a nondisclosure agreement he had signed as part of the settlement.

This November, Miller is running against Brian Poindexter, a Democrat and former union ironworker who’s juxtaposing his blue-collar background against Miller’s wealthy upbringing. When Miller ran for reelection in 2024 — in a district that overwhelmingly voted for President Donald Trump — he won with only 51% of the vote.

In Congress, the Democratic Women’s Caucus is calling for the House Ethics Committee to investigate the allegations against Miller.

“Allegations of violence against women and children have to be met with the utmost seriousness,” its members said in a joint statement on Thursday.

Correction: A previous version of this story misstated when Miller would need to drop out of his reelection campaign to prompt a special primary election. That deadline is August 5.]]>