Ohio voters weigh how men candidates treat the women in their lives

October 22, 2026

Ohio's 7th Congressional District has become an unexpected battleground where Republican incumbent Rep. Max Miller faces Democrat Brian Poindexter in a race dominated by domestic violence allegations from Miller's contentious divorce and custody battle with his ex-wife, daughter of Senator Bernie Moreno. Despite Trump winning the district by 11 points in 2024, the race is now considered a toss-up, with Democrats investing heavily in advertisements highlighting accusations against Miller from multiple women, which he has denied and for which he faces no criminal charges.

Who is affected

Rep. Max Miller (Republican incumbent facing domestic violence allegations)
Brian Poindexter (Democratic challenger)
Emily Moreno (Miller's ex-wife making allegations)
Senator Bernie Moreno (Emily's father and Miller's ex-father-in-law)
Miller and Moreno's young daughter (subject of custody dispute)
Stephanie Grisham (Miller's ex-girlfriend who made allegations)
Domestic violence survivors and advocates in Ohio (approximately 3,000 people helped on a single day in 2025)
Voters in Ohio's 7th Congressional District
Brittany Figlar and her clients (domestic violence survivors affected by the case's visibility)
Summit County Sheriff Kandy Fatheree (appearing in campaign ads)
Poindexter's three daughters (featured in campaign materials)

What action is being taken

Democrats are airing campaign advertisements highlighting domestic violence allegations against Miller (having spent $9.2 million compared to Republicans' $4.1 million as of October 10)
Poindexter is campaigning and canvassing door-to-door in the district
Miller is running ads defending himself and attacking Poindexter's past legal issues
Labor-backed Battleground Alliance PAC is targeting 100,000 households with robocalls about allegations against Miller
Brittany Figlar is working to end human trafficking from her home in the district
The Trump administration is implementing cuts to federal programs focused on intimate partner violence

Why it matters

This race has significant implications for control of Congress and tests whether domestic violence allegations can sway voters in a GOP stronghold district. The prominent coverage of allegations against a powerful political figure is affecting domestic violence survivors throughout the region, with advocates reporting that victims are becoming more intimidated about pursuing cases against their own abusers when they see limited consequences for powerful men. The race also spotlights broader concerns about women's bodily autonomy and treatment, particularly as it unfolds against the backdrop of federal cuts to domestic violence programs and follows a pattern of male congressional members facing misconduct allegations. Additionally, the outcome could signal how personal controversies versus policy priorities influence voters in deeply Republican areas during a cycle where Democrats are attempting to flip multiple statewide offices in Ohio.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: The 19th