Poindexter Defeats 2 Term Republican
Democrat Brian Poindexter, a union ironworker, defeated two-term Republican Rep. Max Miller in Ohio’s 7th Congressional District, flipping a seat in a part of northeast Ohio that President Donald Trump carried by 11 percentage points in 2024.
Decision Desk HQ called the race at 11:16 p.m. Eastern on Election Night. By Wednesday morning, Poindexter had 54.9 percent of the vote to Miller’s 45.1 percent, with more than 95 percent of the expected vote reported. Miller conceded shortly before midnight.
Cleveland’s suburbs helped decide the race
Miller entered the election with a record of winning comfortably. He won his second term by 15 points in 2024, and the district’s Republican voting history made it an unlikely Democratic pickup at the start of the campaign. The Cook Political Report eventually moved the race into its toss-up column.
Miller carried the district’s portions of Ashland, Medina and Wayne counties, according to Decision Desk HQ. Poindexter built a lead of nearly 24 points in the Cuyahoga County portion, where roughly six in ten of the district’s reported votes were cast. That advantage was enough to overcome Miller’s margins elsewhere.
Miller faced criticism from a fellow Ohio Republican
The race grew more difficult for Miller after his former wife accused him of abusing her and their daughter. Miller denied the allegations and said they were made to gain an advantage in their custody dispute. His former father-in-law, Republican Sen. Bernie Moreno of Ohio, publicly called for him to resign. Miller stayed in the race and sought a third term.
The candidates offered competing messages on the economy
Poindexter made affordability a central campaign issue. He highlighted Miller’s past work as a Trump aide and argued that tariffs and the war with Iran were adding to the financial pressure on households. The union ironworker also campaigned on workers’ rights and access to rural health care.
Miller pointed to the tax legislation Republicans passed and Trump signed in 2025. Among its provisions were temporary federal income tax deductions for qualifying tips and overtime pay. The deductions apply to eligible earnings from 2025 through 2028, subject to income limits and other requirements.
