Abuse scandal roils Republicans ahead of US midterms

US congressman Max Miller faced growing calls on Monday to drop his reelection bid as domestic abuse allegations engulfing his campaign raised fears among Republicans that they could lose his seat in November's midterm elections. Miller, a former Trump White House aide, is refusing to quit the race in conservative-leaning Ohio before a Wednesday deadline that would let Republicans replace him on the ballot. His former wife, Emily Moreno, alleges he physically abused her during the marriage and endangered their two-year-old daughter, who broke her collarbone while in his care. Miller denied the claims: "No court, no agency has ever substantiated any allegation of abuse against me," he said in a video posted Sunday. Moreno cited Miller's "increasingly erratic and dangerous behavior" and said: "If there are any basic standards of character required to hold elected office, Max Miller fails them." Miller has filed a defamation lawsuit against his ex-wife and questioned her mental health. The allegations, from a bitter custody battle, include claims that he scalded her, struck her, and threatened her with a gun. The public rupture between two Trump-aligned Ohio Republicans leaves party leaders choosing between pushing Miller aside in a competitive district or risking hypocrisy accusations after attacking scandal-hit Democratic candidates elsewhere.