AILSA CHANG, HOST:
Republican Congressman Max Miller of Ohio says that he is not dropping out of his reelection race despite accusations of domestic abuse from his ex-wife. His former father-in-law, Senator Bernie Moreno, has now publicly said that Miller should not serve in Congress. Republicans have a deadline of next week if they want to replace Miller on the ballot. Joining us now to talk about all of this is Gabriel Kramer from Ideastream Public Media in Cleveland. Hi, Gabriel.
GABRIEL KRAMER: Hey there. Thank you for having me.
CHANG: Hey. OK, so just bring us up to speed here. I understand that Miller and his now ex-wife, Emily Moreno, finalized their divorce last year, right? So talk about why Miller is in the headlines at this moment.
KRAMER: Well, earlier this year, in court filings related to custody of their daughter, Moreno accused Miller of violence, including throwing hot water on her, holding a gun to her head and pushing her against a wall. She also says Miller harmed their child and even broke her collarbone. Over the weekend, he took to social media to defend himself and deny all of these allegations. He says he never harmed his wife and never hurt his daughter. He specifically mentioned the hot water incident calling it horse play with water from a kitchen sink. He says he would not have the privilege of sharing custody if these allegations were true, and criminal charges have not been filed against him. Cuyahoga County Division of Children and Family Services investigation determined there was a lack of evidence to support child abuse.
CHANG: OK. And for people who don't know, Miller's ex-wife, Emily Moreno, is the daughter of Senator Bernie Moreno, a Republican who's been largely silent for months, right? And I understand that he's chimed in now.
KRAMER: Yes, he has. And it's the first time we've heard from Bernie Moreno in the saga. The two are very prominent Republican officials in the state. Both have been endorsed by President Donald Trump. And they seem to be political allies. I mean, they were family. On social media, though, Bernie Moreno had harsh words for his former son-in-law. For context, Emily Moreno and Max Miller got married in 2022, but split up in 2024. Senator Moreno says Miller has made the last two years, quote, "hell" for his family and he fails to meet the basic standards of character required to hold elected office. Miller responded saying if he were in Bernie Moreno's shoes, he would not have waited two years to speak up.
CHANG: Wow. Intense. OK, so what do you think these allegations could mean for Miller's reelection prospects? Like, do you think it'll affect Republicans' chances of holding that seat?
KRAMER: Well, he says he's staying in the race.
CHANG: OK.
KRAMER: However, if he does decide to withdraw, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose says he would need to do so by August 10 for Republicans to be able to replace him in the race. Dropping out could be a political strategy if he feels or the party feels he's losing support in the race because of these accusations. After he won the May primary unopposed, there was a strong belief he would likely keep his seat. The Cook Political Report rates his district as likely Republican, although voter turnout by Democrats in Ohio shot up about 46% in the primary compared to 2022. Miller's district was redrawn this year and ended up slightly more Republican.
CHANG: That is Gabriel Kramer from Ideastream Public Media. Thank you, Gabriel.
KRAMER: Thank you.
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