President Donald Trump’s political team urged Ohio Republicans not to pressure Republican Ohio Rep. Max Miller to drop out after the congressman maintained he would remain in the race, Politico reported Monday.
Administration officials reportedly warned party leaders that Miller would not drop out and that pressuring him to do so would complicate their messaging when they had to defend his seat against his Democratic challenger, Brian Poindexter, according to Politico. President Donald Trump previously warned Miller that things did not look good for his political career, though he never publicly called on the Ohio Republican to drop out.
“They basically told us to back off and let the voters decide,” an Ohio Republican told Politico.
The deadline to pick a replacement was Monday at 4:00 p.m. EDT, and because of the two days’ notice requirement, Miller would have had to drop out by Saturday. If Miller dropped out by Wednesday, the party would have held a special election to determine his replacement.
The White House did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
Republicans in the state discussed scheduling the required meeting to replace Miller, hoping it would convince the embattled congressman to drop out, although they backed out of these efforts while in talks with administration officials, according to Politico.
Polls found Miller trailing Poindexter by double digits, including a Co/efficient survey finding Miller down 14 points.
Miller’s ex-father-in-law, Republican Ohio Sen. Bernie Moreno, Republican Ohio Sen. Jon Husted and other Republicans called on Miller to drop out. House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune refused to take a stance on whether Miller should drop his reelection bid.
Miller stated in a “special announcement” video on Aug. 2 that he would remain in the race and denied all of his ex-wife’s allegations.
Miller’s ex-wife, Emily Moreno, accused Miller of domestically abusing her and their two-year-old daughter. She alleged that Miller scalded her with hot water from a pan of eggs in and sprayed her with water from a sink hose while she laid on the floor in a fetal position in June 2024.
Moreno accused Miller of holding a gun to her head in March 2025 and of fracturing their daughter’s collarbone. Miller’s ex-father-in-law told reporters that the congressman refused to return his daughter’s blue bunny, which Miller denied.
During a Tuesday appearance on “The Lead with Jake Tapper,” Miller dodged questions on why three separate women accused him of abuse. Former White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham accused him of abusing her in a Washington Post op-ed from October 2021 and filed a restraining order against him.
The House Ethics Committee opened an investigation into Miller after the congressman requested that one be opened, claiming he had “absolutely nothing to hide.”
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