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Abuse Allegations Shake a Safe GOP District in Ohio: Rep. Miller's Seat Turns Competitive

Sunday, October 18, 2026 · States · GSM News

USA Today reported on Oct. 18 that a once-solid Republican congressional district in northeastern Ohio has been upended by domestic-abuse allegations against incumbent Rep. Max Miller, shifting from a "safe seat" to a closely contested race.

Miller is accused of physically abusing his ex-wife and their two-year-old daughter; he denies the allegations. Since the accusations became public this summer, they have rapidly reshaped the district's politics: in 2024, Trump carried the district by 11 points and Miller by 15, yet multiple nonpartisan rating outlets now list it as a toss-up. In a year of falling Republican support overall, party campaign arms have had to spend in a district they usually win easily. Several Republican politicians have publicly called on Miller to resign.

For the record: Miller denies all of the allegations and has sued his ex-wife for defamation; to date he has not been criminally charged in the matter; and Ohio's children services agency concluded its investigation of the child-abuse allegation as "unsubstantiated."

In Wooster, Ohio, Pamela Mayhew, a 64-year-old retired insurance underwriter, said she had planned to vote a straight Republican ticket but is hesitating over Miller's seat. Some Republican voters told USA Today they will still back Miller, believing the allegations are unfounded or politically motivated. Democrats are already favored to gain House seats in the midterms; losing this one would widen their advantage. The final decision rests with voters.

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Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)

Photo: 图:联邦众议员麦克斯·米勒官方肖像。照片:美国国会/Wikimedia Commons(公有领域)。Official portrait of U.S. Rep. Max Miller. Photo: U.S. Congress / Wikimedia Commons (public domain).

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