Democrat Brian Poindexter defeats Max Miller in Ohio race dominated by abuse allegations

Democrat Brian Poindexter has defeated Republican Rep. Max Miller in Ohio, NBC News projects, winning a congressional race reshaped by domestic abuse allegations against the incumbent. Miller denied the accusations made by his ex-wife, but they became a central issue as Democrats committed millions of dollars to a contest they had not expected to seriously challenge just months earlier.

An ironworker and City Council member in Brook Park, a working-class Cleveland suburb, Poindexter captured a district that Donald Trump would have carried by 11 percentage points in 2024. Miller had been considered likely to secure another term comfortably before details surrounding his divorce became public.

Miller’s ex-wife, Emily Moreno, accused him of pointing a gun at her head, throwing hot water on her and throwing her into a wall. The allegations surfaced in court proceedings and public statements. Miller strongly rejected them, released documents and recordings of their conversations, and used an extended social media livestream over the summer to defend himself. He argued that her subsequent invitations to share dinner and visit a playground with their daughter were inconsistent with the accusations.

Moreno’s spokesperson, Stefan Mychajliw, rejected Miller’s defense and said she expected justice through the courts. Her father, Republican Ohio Sen. Bernie Moreno, also publicly criticized Miller over the summer, saying concerns about his family’s safety had initially kept him from speaking out. He said Miller lacked the character required for elected office and should leave Congress. Miller remained in the race despite calls from the senator and other Republicans to resign before the deadline for replacing him on the ballot.

Poindexter assembled support from different parts of the Democratic Party. Vermont independent Sen. Bernie Sanders and California Rep. Ro Khanna endorsed him before he defeated longtime Ohio Democrat Ed FitzGerald in the primary. Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly was among the Democrats who backed him afterward. Poindexter had voted Republican in his 20s before moving toward Democrats, supporting Barack Obama’s 2012 re-election and drawing inspiration from Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign.

Alongside criticism of Miller, Poindexter emphasized his union experience and pledged to represent workers. He opposed Trump’s broad tariffs while supporting targeted tariffs aimed at protecting jobs, and called for rebuilding American manufacturing. He also told the Akron Beacon Journal that he favored moving toward universal health care over time and protecting union rights.

Republicans countered by drawing attention to Poindexter’s past arrests. He told NBC News that a 1999 felonious assault charge had been reduced to a misdemeanor and that he faced misdemeanor disorderly conduct charges in 2002 and 2003 over fights at Cleveland Browns games. Poindexter said becoming a father at 22 prompted him to change his life.

Miller, 37, worked in Trump’s White House and on his campaign before entering Congress. With Trump’s support, he initially planned to challenge Rep. Anthony Gonzalez in the 2022 Republican primary after Gonzalez voted for impeachment. Gonzalez retired, and redistricting led Miller to win a different seat. During that campaign, former White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham accused Miller of physical abuse during their relationship, which he denied.

In Congress, Miller generally remained aligned with Trump, although he differed on issues including tariffs. He supported Ukraine in its war against Russia, criticized progressive Democrats over their support for Palestinians during Israel’s war against Hamas, and voted to expel Republican Rep. George Santos, whom he accused of stealing from him and his mother.