Top House Republican backs Max Miller: ‘I support anybody with an R by their name’

Rep. Lisa McClain (R-Mich.), the chair of the House Republican Conference, said Sunday she backs Rep. Max Miller (R-Ohio), despite two of his former partners accusing him of abuse.

“Listen, divorces are ugly. And I’m glad I’m not … in his shoes right now,” McClain told host Margaret Brennan on CBS News’s “ Face the Nation .”

The No. 3 House Republican added, “I support anybody with an ‘R’ behind their name. I hope when all of this comes out that it’s not true. But at the end of the day, we’ve got to let the process play out.”

Miller has kept his reelection campaign going, despite multiple GOP lawmakers calling on him to drop out after his ex-wife, Emily Moreno, accused him of abuse during custody proceedings.

Moreno, the daughter of Ohio Sen. Bernie Moreno (R), said Miller threw hot water at her, held a gun to her head and broke their daughter’s collarbone. The two divorced last year and are battling for custody of the 2-year-old child.

Miller has denied the allegations , sued his ex-wife for defamation in May and filed paperwork for the House Ethics Committee to open a probe into him in August. His former father-in-law, Bernie Moreno, is among those calling on the lawmaker to resign.

Miller’s ex-girlfriend, former White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham, has also accused him of abuse. The congressman has denied that allegation.

But Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) backed Miller earlier this week, saying the Ohio Republican “has been a great member of Congress” since entering the lower chamber in 2023.

“He has some issues in his personal life he’s working through. The House Ethics Committee is looking into that and any implications it may have,” Johnson told CNN’s Manu Raju.

McClain took a similar approach, backing Miller in his race against Democrat Brian Poindexter. The Michigan Republican said Sunday she is focused on “keeping the House” in Republican hands, and praised Miller as a “good advocate for his constituents.”

She told Brennan, “He’s chosen to stay in the race. … I hope this comes out that he is OK. But at the end of the day, he’s our nominee right now. I wish the allegations … aren’t true.

“But at the end of the day, we’ve got to continue to do what’s right for the American people. And that’s what we’re trying to do, keeping more money in your pocket, making sure we secure the border and making sure crime rates are down.”