Accused Wife Beater Max Miller Loses US Seat After Ex-Wife Alleged He Scalded Her With Boiling Water

Ohio Republican Max Miller has lost his bid for re-election to the US House, with Democrat Brian Poindexter defeating him in Ohio's 7th Congressional District after a campaign overshadowed by domestic abuse allegations. The Associated Press declared Poindexter the winner.

The result ends the two-term congressman's bid for a third term in Washington. It came despite President Donald Trump issuing what he called his 'Complete and Total Endorsement' of Miller in the final days of the campaign.

Miller, 37, has been accused by his ex-wife, Emily Moreno, of holding a gun to her head and throwing scalding water on her. Moreno also raised concerns about their two-year-old daughter's fractured collarbone, although investigators were unable to determine who caused the injury. Miller has denied the allegations.

The Allegations Against Miller

Moreno filed a lawsuit against Miller and his lawyer in August over the publication of a photograph of their two-year-old daughter in a publicly accessible Dropbox folder. The complaint alleged that the image exposed the child while Miller was sharing documents in response to the domestic abuse allegations.

Miller said the photograph was shared inadvertently when he posted a link to a Dropbox folder containing documents he said supported his defence against the allegations.

The controversy also prompted public criticism from Ohio Republican Sen. Bernie Moreno, Emily Moreno's father and Miller's former father-in-law. He urged voters not to return Miller to Congress.

'If there are any basic standards of character required to hold elected office, Max Miller fails them,' Bernie Moreno wrote on social media. 'He should not serve in the House of Representatives.'

Moreno also accused Miller of 'increasingly erratic and dangerous behavior', adding that he 'needs serious psychological help'.

Trump's Endorsement Was Not Enough

Trump called Poindexter 'Reckless, Radical, and Dangerous' while urging supporters to vote for Miller.

'GET OUT AND VOTE FOR MAX — HE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!' the president wrote on Truth Social.

Trump's endorsement was not enough to secure Miller's re-election. Miller conceded on X, saying he was 'disappointed' by the result and 'disheartened' that he could not continue representing Ohio's 7th District.

'I have fought earnestly to continue to represent the interests of my home and community in the Ohio 7th District,' he wrote. 'We have achieved great things in the last four years and I am disheartened that I cannot continue the good fight.'

Some users responded critically to Miller's concession, with several questioning his record and expressing satisfaction with his defeat.

What Happens Next for Max Miller?

On 4 August, the House Ethics Committee announced that it was reviewing allegations that Miller may have engaged in domestic violence and abuse or illegal drug use. The committee stressed that the review did not mean a violation had occurred. It has not publicly released any findings.

Separately, an investigation into the injury suffered by Miller's daughter was closed after prosecutors determined there was insufficient admissible evidence to bring the case before a grand jury. The child welfare agency also found the abuse allegation against Miller unsubstantiated. Miller has denied the allegations.

In a separate case, Miller's girlfriend, Jaclyn Alatrash, was indicted on charges of grand theft, telecommunications fraud and misuse of a credit card. Her former husband, Matthew Krampert, accused her of using his credit card to make more than $9,000 (€7,700 and £6,400) in Instacart purchases without permission, according to Mother Jones.

Miller's defeat ends his bid for a third term despite Trump's emphatic endorsement. Poindexter's victory marks a Democratic gain in a congressional district previously held by Republicans.