Max Miller vs. Brian Poindexter: Where the Ohio House race stands

NewsPoindexter leads Miller with half the vote counted in Ohio’s 7th district U.S. Rep. Max Miller grabs lunch at the St. Andrew Ukrainian Catholic Church annual Ukrainian Festival in Parma on September 6, 2026.Sabrina EatonBy Sabrina Eaton, cleveland.comCLEVELAND, Ohio - Democratic challenger Brian Poindexter led U.S. Rep. Max Miller by 10 percentage points with 52% of the vote counted in Ohio’s 7th District as of 9:25 p.m. on Tuesday night.Poindexter had 55% of the vote to Miller’s 45%.Poindexter, a Brook Park council member who has worked as a truck driver, ironworker and union organizer, was trying to unseat Miller in a district that backed Donald Trump by 11 points in 2024. The 7th district includes southern and western Cuyahoga County, northern Wayne County and all of Medina and Ashland counties.The Cook Political Report and Sabato’s Crystal Ball rated the race a toss-up. Miller won a second term in 2024 with 51.1% of the vote.Republican Keith Faber takes narrow lead in Ohio attorney general’s race Proposed tax increases in Barberton, Mogadore, Norton, Tallmadge, Springfield Twp: See early voting resultsRick Dumperth takes lead in Medina County auditor race as vote count shiftsOlmsted Falls voters opposing income tax overhaul in early resultsOlmsted Falls voters strongly favor home rule charter amendment as early vote tallies releasedMiller’s re-election bid was complicated by domestic violence allegations from his ex-wife, the daughter of Republican U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno. Miller denies them and said he believes they were meant to sway a pending child custody battle. Moreno and Sen. Jon Husted called for him to leave Congress.Federal Election Commission reports filed through Oct. 14 show Poindexter raised $3.7 million to Miller’s $3.2 million. Miller had loaned his campaign $1,965,000 of his own money and added $250,000 more on Oct. 27.Outside groups drove the spending. The ad-tracking firm AdImpact counted $23.8 million in ad spending between May 6 and Oct. 29. Democratic-side groups accounted for $15.6 million and Republican-side groups for $8.2 million.The ads were harsh on both sides. Those for Poindexter highlighted the allegations against Miller. Ads for Miller highlighted a 1998 Cleveland police report showing Poindexter was stopped on suspicion of cocaine possession as a teenager. Police did not charge him, and Poindexter said he has “never touched a hard drug in my life.”Miller cited his constituent casework and the federal money he steered to the district. “The constituents know how hard that I work, and that I produce,” he said.Poindexter warned supporters in September against overconfidence. “I am not taking a thing for granted, and I ask you to do the same,” he said.Sabrina has worked in The Plain Dealer's DC bureau since 1994. Before that, she covered local news in Lake and Geauga Counties. She previously worked at States News Service, The Daily Record of Morristown, NJ,...