Rick Scott Says Max Miller 'Shouldn't Be in Office' as GOP Deadline to Replace Him Looms Wednesday

Since Sen. Bernie Moreno demanded his former son-in-law's resignation on Sunday, Rep. Max Miller has gained one thing: more Republicans willing to say out loud that he should quit.

Sen. Rick Scott of Florida told reporters he doesn't believe there's a double standard in how Congress handles abuse allegations against Democrats versus Republicans, and he said flatly that lawmakers facing credible abuse claims, including both Miller and Rep. Cory Mills of Florida, "shouldn't be in office." Asked directly about Miller, Scott said, "The best thing is the public is gonna take them out of office."

This is a different stance from the White House. President Trump, who attended Miller and Emily Moreno's wedding, told reporters Sunday it's "a very sad thing" and that he'd "let the families figure that out." By Monday, according to Semafor, the tone behind the scenes had shifted. One White House official said Trump's public comments reflect his aides' actual views, but a person familiar with the situation told Semafor that Trump and some aides privately want Miller out of the race. Axios reported Trump called Miller Monday to tell him "things aren't looking good."

A person close to the White House put it more bluntly to Semafor: Miller "clearly only cares about himself. He's down by 6 in the latest poll. If he cared about the president and the party, he'd drop out."

Miller isn't budging. He said Sunday, "I'm not dropping out of this race and I'll win in November," according to the Associated Press. He denies abusing Emily Moreno or their daughter and has released a large batch of court documents, audio and video clips that he says clear his name. Observers who reviewed the material, including Washington Examiner reporting, noted several of the recordings arguably do the opposite. In one clip, Miller repeatedly declines to directly deny drug use, saying only that he doesn't keep needles in his bedroom.

The allegations themselves are serious and specific. Court filings describe Miller scalding Emily Moreno's chest with hot water from a skillet, holding a gun to her head, and shoving her against a wall. Emily Moreno has also said their daughter suffered a broken collarbone while in Miller's care, an injury first detailed publicly in a Mother Jones report in July. Miller has said he had nothing to do with the injury and that he and Emily Moreno have offered competing explanations for how it happened, according to the AP.

Bernie Moreno, the girl's grandfather, has not stayed quiet. He wrote on X that Miller "needs serious psychological help," that he's "a danger to my daughter," and that he holds his breath "every minute he has custody of my granddaughter." On Monday, Moreno told Semafor he couldn't explain why Miller is resisting calls to step aside, and he called some of the press questions about "my personal family situation" "pretty grotesque" — a fair complaint from a father watching a private custody fight become a national story, even as he's the one who put much of it on the record himself.

A spokesperson for Emily Moreno, Stefan Mychajliw, was even sharper, calling Miller's video defense "shameful" and saying "no loving parent would have ever used their daughter as a PR pawn to save their own political career."

The political math is getting worse for Republicans. Ohio GOP has a Wednesday deadline to replace Miller on the ballot if he steps aside, and Semafor reports the party is already scrambling for alternatives. State Sen. Jane Timken, one name floated, ruled herself out Monday. Sen. Jon Husted and gubernatorial nominee Vivek Ramaswamy are both running competitive races in the same state against Democrats Sherrod Brown and Amy Acton, and neither wants Miller's scandal anywhere near their campaigns. Husted declined to comment.

Most Senate Republicans are dodging the topic entirely. Majority Leader John Thune said he has "no observations." Sen. Tommy Tuberville said he doesn't "deal with them people over there" in the House. Sen. John Kennedy was more direct: "It's not good. It just gives people one more reason to be disgusted with Congress."

No criminal charges have been filed against Miller. This remains a custody dispute playing out in family court, with dueling filings and no independent finding of fact yet on either the abuse claims or the child's injury. That distinction matters. Allegations in a custody filing are allegations, not convictions. But the political damage has compounded daily.

The immediate question is whether Miller meets Wednesday's ballot-replacement deadline still in the race. If he doesn't budge, Ohio Republicans will have to decide whether to fight the seat with a candidate several in their own party, including his former father-in-law, say shouldn't hold it.