GOP House incumbents confront ethics investigations as midterms approach
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Republican leaders are grappling with ethics scandals involving Representatives Max Miller, Chuck Edwards and Cory Mills, raising concerns about the party's ability to hold vulnerable seats in the upcoming midterm elections.
Republican officials are dealing with a series of ethics investigations that threaten the party's hold on several House districts ahead of the November midterms. In Ohio, Rep. Max Miller, a Trump-aligned congressman, has denied allegations of personal misconduct and announced he will remain in the race despite a pending House Ethics Committee probe. Miller told CNN that Speaker Mike Johnson has not asked him to withdraw and that the party believes it can retain the seat.
In North Carolina, Rep. Chuck Edwards announced he will not seek re-election after the House Ethics Committee recommended a censure for alleged inappropriate behavior toward two female staffers. Party leaders had been urging him to step aside, fearing the scandal could jeopardize the district, which President Trump won by double digits.
Florida Rep. Cory Mills also faces a broad ethics investigation, including a probe into alleged misconduct and a separate police inquiry. While he has not been arrested, the House Ethics Committee has issued subpoenas and collected extensive documentation. GOP insiders are hoping Mills may lose his August primary to a better-funded challenger.
Democratic strategists see opportunities in the Ohio and Florida races if the Republican incumbents remain on the ballot, but both seats were won by Trump with margins exceeding ten points in 2020. House Democratic campaign leader Rep. Suzan DelBene said the scandals raise questions about the fitness of the implicated members to serve.
The Republican campaign apparatus has not yet allocated advertising support to the embattled incumbents, and party leaders are weighing whether to intervene as Democratic spending intensifies. Meanwhile, the House GOP’s majority remains vulnerable if any of the contested seats flip in November.