Max Miller ethics inquiry, Ohio 7th district election, Brian Poindexter
The two-term Republican conceded on X late on Tuesday and will leave Congress when his current term ends in early January Public domain, US government work

Republican Max Miller lost his Ohio congressional seat on Tuesday to Democrat Brian Poindexter, a union ironworker. Donald Trump won it by 11 points in 2024, says the forecaster Cook Political Report. The House Ethics Committee is reviewing domestic abuse allegations against Miller, which he denies.

The Democrat won about 55% of the vote to Miller's 45%, the latest unofficial state figures show. Under the previous district map, Miller won just over 51% in 2024. He remains in Congress until 3 January 2027, when the committee would normally lose jurisdiction over him.

How Poindexter Won a Republican Seat

Miller's district takes in suburbs south of Cleveland and more rural counties to the south-west. Cook rated the race solidly Republican in May but moved it to a toss-up by August. Poindexter raised $2.4 million (about £1.8 million) from July to September, more than 16 times Miller's total, election filings show. Miller also lent his campaign $1 million (about £750,000). Late on Tuesday, Miller conceded on X in the post below.

He said he was disheartened and grateful to all who voted for him. Poindexter, 46, has been a Brook Park councillor since 2017 and won an eight-way Democratic primary in May with about 37% of the vote. 'Who would have thought we'd put a worker in Congress?' he asked supporters, according to TV station WKYC. His campaign ran ads using claims against Miller, including audio of Miller's former father-in-law, Senator Bernie Moreno.

The Abuse Claims and the Ethics Review

Miller filed for divorce from Emily Moreno, the senator's daughter, in 2024. Her court filings allege he scalded her with hot water, shoved her against a wall and once put a gun to her head. She also blamed him for their toddler's fractured collarbone, though local authorities could not determine who was responsible. Miller denies them all. He has also sued her for defamation. In an October advert, he said he shares equal custody. 'I have never abused our daughter,' he said in an August livestream.

On 4 August, the committee announced a review of whether Miller 'may have engaged in domestic violence and abuse or illegal drug use'. It stressed this was not a finding that he had broken any rule. Hours earlier, Miller had asked for an inquiry himself, saying on X that he wanted to clear his name. The committee keeps a 60-day blackout on public steps before an election and has released no findings.

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What Happens to the Inquiry Now

With the vote over, the committee's pre-election blackout has lapsed. 'Once a member is no longer a member of Congress, then Ethics has no jurisdiction,' said Michael Guest, the committee's chairman, in 2024. That leaves about eight weeks for a ruling on Miller. Poindexter takes the seat when Miller's term ends in January.

The panel has made an exception before, releasing its report on Matt Gaetz weeks after he quit Congress in 2024. Senator Moreno had urged Miller to step down, while Speaker Mike Johnson backed the bid but held no campaign events with him. Democrats took at least three other Republican seats on Tuesday, CBS News projected.

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