Deadline passes for Rep. Max Miller to be replaced on Ohio ballot as he faces domestic abuse claims

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Embattled Republican Rep. Max Miller is staying in the race for his Ohio congressional district, defying voices within his own party who urged him to step aside as he faced domestic abuse allegations from his ex-wife. His determination to press on with his reelection campaign is creating headaches for a Republican Party that had not planned to devote attention to defending the seat in this year’s midterm elections.

His Democratic challenger, union ironworker Brian Poindexter, seized on Miller’s controversies by appealing to voters with a promise to “serve with honor.” Monday presented the last chance for Republicans to replace Miller on the general election ballot in Ohio, leaving the congressman in what is increasingly seen as a competitive race. House campaigns have been closely watching the race for Ohio’s 7th Congressional District, just south of Cleveland, to see if they want to ramp up their support for Poindexter. President Donald Trump won the GOP-leaning district comfortably two years ago.

Miller won it with just 51% of the vote two years ago in a three-way contest that included former congressman and presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich, who ran as an independent. Under Ohio’s current maps, the district leans 55%-44% Republican, according to Dave’s Redistricting. Miller, 37, has said he is confident he can pull out a win, given those odds and the goodwill he said he has built with constituents over his two terms.

While both of Ohio’s senators, including his former father-in-law, Sen. Bernie Moreno, called on him to drop out of the race, Trump never did. The Republican president called Miller “a good person” and said his legal dispute with Emily Moreno is best left to the families to figure out.

Miller was a senior aide to Trump during his first term as president. In a CNN interview last week, Miller said the president told him that if he stayed in, “it’s going to be a tough race.” Republican National Committee Chairman Joe Gruters suggested the party would back Miller but stopped short of saying it would spend on his campaign. “We’re going to support our nominees.

Everybody has to prove they are capable of winning,” Gruters said during a Sunday appearance on NewsMax. I hope that he can.” It was unclear Monday if Republican groups invested in House races, such as the National Rep… Bernie Moreno, called on him to drop out of the race, Trump never did.The Republican president called Miller “a good person” and said his legal dispute with Emily Moreno is best left to the families to figure out.