Members of President Donald Trump’s political team asked Ohio Republicans last week to stop publicly pressuring Rep. Max Miller to leave his reelection race, according to three people granted anonymity to describe private conversations with POLITICO. The request came after Trump’s team grew convinced that Miller would not end his campaign.
Miller has faced calls to drop out following domestic abuse allegations, which he denies. Before the White House stepped in, some officials and Republicans in the state had urged Miller to withdraw from the race.
Administration officials told party leaders and other Republicans in Ohio that pushing Miller out would not work since he had made clear he was staying in the race. They also argued it would create a messaging problem, since those same leaders would likely have to support Miller’s campaign later against a Democratic opponent.
Ohio Republicans dropped plans for a meeting to discuss replacing Miller
One Ohio Republican involved in the conversations described the message from Trump’s team directly. “They basically told us to back off,” the Republican said, “and let the voters decide.”
Miller had faced a 4 p.m. Monday deadline to withdraw from the race. If he had dropped out, state party leaders would have needed to hold a meeting two days earlier to discuss a replacement candidate.
At one point, Ohio Republicans considered scheduling that meeting anyway, hoping the move would pressure Miller into leaving the race, according to two people familiar with the discussions. But party leaders dropped the idea after White House officials warned them that Miller would not step aside, and that Republicans would likely need to defend the seat without a new candidate in place.
Spokespeople for Miller and for the White House did not respond to requests for comment. Miller has been 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 seek reelection. Moreno was previously asked directly whether Miller should stay in the race, and Miller has continued to resist calls to step down.
The allegations against Miller come from his ex-wife, Emily Moreno, who is Sen. Moreno’s daughter. Her claims include that Miller held a gun to her head and broke their daughter’s collarbone.
Many of these allegations appear in state investigatory documents connected to a child abuse probe. Miller denies the allegations, and Trump has publicly defended his character even as other Senate Republicans called for his resignation.
House Speaker Mike Johnson has not weighed in on Miller’s candidacy. He told POLITICO he will wait for the House Ethics Committee to complete its process first. The committee opened an investigation into Miller last week, after Miller said he would file paperwork requesting an investigation into himself.
Miller faces a competitive race in November against Democrat Brian Poindexter, a union ironworker. Poindexter’s campaign has already been helped by political challenges facing Republicans, including high gas prices and the ongoing war in Iran.
In a statement after Miller confirmed he was staying on the ballot, Poindexter said, “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.” He added, “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.”
Republicans currently hold a slim majority in the House, and losing seats could put that majority at risk in 2027. Ohio’s 7th Congressional District was considered a safe Republican seat until recently. Internal polling now reportedly shows Miller trailing in his district.
Some Republicans believe the seat will stay in GOP hands regardless of the controversy. Trump won the district by 11 points in 2024. Republican National Committee Chair Joe Gruters said in an interview with NewsNation that the party’s main fundraising arm would likely continue backing Miller’s campaign.
“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.”
Other Republicans are concerned that Miller staying in the race will force party committees to spend more money to defend the seat. “It’s still winnable, it’s just going to be expensive,” said one national Republican operative, who like others was granted anonymity to speak candidly. “At a time when Republicans are playing defense, like you’re just spreading your dollars thinner and thinner across the board.”
A second Ohio-based Republican said they are “concerned” that the allegations against Miller are “going to result in fewer votes, less ability to fundraise.”
“Nothing good comes out of this,” the Republican said. “He’s not going to gain any votes, and he’s not going to gain any fundraising, and he’s going to be completely distracted. It’s a sideshow.”
Another White House official said last week that it had become increasingly clear Miller would remain in the race. The official noted that Miller, a former Trump aide, had begun comparing his situation to past accusations of abuse and misconduct made against Trump. “I don’t think he’s going anywhere,” the official told POLITICO after Trump spoke with Miller about the matter.
Published: Aug 11, 2026 10:30 am