Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-OH) publicly accused Rep. Max Miller (R-OH), his former son-in-law, of domestic abuse on Sunday and said Miller is unfit for office. Moreno’s comments came in response to a video address by Miller denying wrongdoing amid growing scrutiny of the allegations of domestic violence and abuse by his ex-wife Emily Moreno, the senator’s daughter.

Recent polling and reports indicate that the unfolding scandal could lead Miller, one of the few Jewish Republicans in the House to lose his House seat. The New York Times reported last week that Miller’s polling is slipping in the wake of the recent allegations about his past conduct, with a Democratic internal poll showing him just one point ahead of his Democratic challenger, progressive Brian Poindexter, despite the district favoring Republicans.

Another poll conducted by a Republican firm last week reported by NOTUS found Poindexter leading Miller by five points, with Miller’s favorability 15 points underwater.

The allegations against Miller include repeated physical abuse of both Emily Moreno and their daughter.

Democratic aides told the Times they intend to target the district, which the Cook Political Report rates as “likely Republican.” The handicapper already increased Democratic chances of winning the seat as the abuse allegations gained increasing attention.

White House officials are concerned that Miller’s continued candidacy endangers Republicans’ chances of holding the House, according to the Times. Miller, in a statement, vigorously denied to the newspaper that he was in any danger of losing his seat.

Miller released a video on Sunday denying the abuse allegations against him, also posting what he claimed was exculpatory evidence. He has argued that his ex-wife suffers from mental health issues, is fabricating her claims and is a danger to him and their child, repeating allegations he has made in other public interviews. Miller said in the video address he intends to stay in the race and continue campaigning.

He has emphasized that he has never been charged with or convicted of wrongdoing and has been permitted to maintain joint custody of their 2-year-old daughter.

A spokesperson for Emily Moreno called the statement “shameful” and “a bizarre and lie-filled rant about his ex-wife to desperately try to save his political career.”

After previously withholding comment, Moreno said in a lengthy statement that the past two years since his daughter’s divorce from Miller have been “hell” and that his priority has been keeping the matter private to protect his family but that Miller’s “increasingly erratic and dangerous behavior has made that impossible.”

He called Miller a “danger” to his daughter and granddaughter and said that he fails to meet any “basic standards of character” to serve in office and “should not continue to be free” until he receives psychological help.

Miller dismissed Moreno’s claims and accused him of trying to “hide from your own media circus” and of only speaking out for political reasons, as well as questioning why he had not spoken out earlier.

Some of Miller’s colleagues in Ohio’s congressional delegation were muted in their reactions to Moreno’s accusations against him, with no members of the House Republican Conference calling for Miller’s resignation. 

Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH), the former chairman of the House Intelligence Committee and a fellow Ohio Republican, declined to answer several questions on the accusations against Miller on Sunday, telling CBS’ “Face the Nation” that the matter should be handled “in a courtroom” as opposed to the court of public opinion.

“This is a matter of litigation. This is best handled in a courtroom and not in a TV studio,” Turner told the network. “This is an issue that is currently part of a divorce and part of litigation that’s in a courtroom, and the court should be handling this, which is clearly ongoing, and that’s where this needs to be.”

Miller, while in office, has been a close ally of Ohio’s Jewish community and active on various issues of interest to the Jewish community including supporting Israel and combating antisemitism. He has also faced harassment, threats and violence for being a Jewish member of Congress.

He serves on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Miller also helped lead the charge to oust former Rep. George Santos (R-NY) from the House, during which time Santos alluded to allegations of domestic violence against Miller. That reference was to a separate, earlier allegation: in 2021, Stephanie Grisham, a former White House press secretary who dated Miller before his marriage to Emily Moreno, publicly accused him of physically abusing her during their relationship. Miller denied those allegations as well.

Miller’s challenger Poindexter is an ironworker, union organizer and Brook Park, Ohio city, councilmember whose record on Israel and other issues of interest to the Jewish community is largely undefined. 

“No one credibly accused of holding a gun to his wife’s head and breaking their two-year-old daughter’s collarbone belongs in the halls of power,” Poindexter said on X on Sunday.

He has been endorsed by the Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC and Our Revolution, the progressive campaign group founded by alumni of Sen. Bernie Sanders’ (I-VT) presidential campaign.