Max Miller’s political future turned into a same-party emergency in Ohio after Sen. Bernie Moreno urged Republicans to push his former son-in-law out, accusing the congressman of putting Moreno’s daughter and granddaughter in danger.
Miller answered the pressure Sunday with a livestream, not a withdrawal.
The Ohio congressman, who served as an adviser in President Donald Trump’s first administration and had Trump’s endorsement, told viewers he planned to remain the Republican nominee.
“I’m not dropping out of this race,” he commented. “And I’ll win in November.”
The calendar gives the GOP little room to maneuver. Wednesday is the ballot-replacement deadline.
Special Announcement https://t.co/ouTFVkATZD
— Max Miller (@MaxMillerOH) August 2, 2026
The public blowup followed a Friday report from New York Times congressional correspondent Annie Karni that Emily Moreno’s attorneys had filed for a restraining order against Miller. Emily is Miller’s ex-wife and the senator’s daughter.
The fight has pushed a private family split into a Republican ballot crisis, with abuse allegations, custody claims, child welfare records and dueling accusations of political gamesmanship now all spilling into public view.
Moreno called the aftermath of the marriage “pure hell,” with his 2-year-old granddaughter caught inside the fight.
“It has been horrific to watch this play out in full public view, all while knowing an innocent two-year-old girl is caught in the middle,” Moreno said.
“Our priority has always been protecting our daughter and our granddaughter.”
Moreno had once tried to keep his distance from the public fight. A spokesperson previously said he does not “litigate these matters in the media” and that his “top priority is the safety and well-being of his daughter and granddaughter.”
By Sunday, Moreno said his family’s safety concerns had ended that silence.
“Max Miller’s increasingly erratic and dangerous behavior has made that impossible,” Moreno wrote on X.
He also alleged that Miller had privately admitted needing serious psychological help.
“He is a danger to my daughter, and I hold my breath every minute he has custody of my granddaughter.”
Miller used his livestream and a stack of documents to argue the allegations do not match the investigative record.
Miller denied that any court or agency had backed the accusations and said the claims had already been investigated.
“No court or agency has even substantiated any allegation against me,” Miller said. “No criminal charge has ever been filed against me.”
Emily Moreno alleged that Miller physically assaulted and threatened her during their marriage. One accusation claimed he held a gun to her head.
Another claim involves the former couple’s 2-year-old daughter, whose collarbone Miller was accused of breaking during a Feb. 1 custody exchange.
CBS News also reported on an alleged June 2024 episode involving scalding water.
In that account, Miller allegedly threw the water on Emily after she said she was ending the marriage.
Miller called that episode “horseplay” and disputed how hot the water was. On the child-abuse claim, he pointed to child welfare agencies and said the allegations involving the couple’s daughter were “unsubstantiated.”
Miller also argued that the seriousness of the accusations should have produced criminal consequences if they were true.
“These are incredibly serious criminal accusations. And if these accusations were true, I would be in jail.”
The House Ethics Committee did not say whether it had opened a probe, declining to comment when asked about the Miller allegations.
Emily Moreno’s side accused Miller of using his online appearance to rescue his campaign rather than answer for his conduct.
Spokesman Stefan Mychajliw tore into the livestream in a statement.
“It is shameful that Max Miller decided to go on a bizarre and lie-filled rant about his ex-wife to desperately try to save his political career,” Mychajliw said.
He said Miller’s denials would face a harder test in court than they did on X.
“There is a documented trove of evidence that Miller has a history of violent and dangerous behavior and no amount of victim shaming will change that,” Mychajliw continued. “Miller can lie and spin on X, but he cannot do so under oath in a court of law.”
Miller has faced another public abuse accusation before. Stephanie Grisham, the former White House press secretary, accused him of abuse in a 2021 Washington Post op-ed.
Fox News reported that Miller later accused Grisham of violating a confidential settlement.
Miller also used Sunday’s response to go after Bernie Moreno personally.
“If my daughter said the same thing to me, I personally wouldn’t wait two years before holding him accountable,” Miller wrote.
Miller framed Moreno’s resignation demand as a political diversion and insisted the senator knew the accusations were not true.
“You know this isn’t true and the only reason you are speaking out now is to hide from your own media circus,” Miller added. “This is all political.”
