Reliably red Ohio suddenly a red-hot mess for GOP

Ohio has become a headache for Republicans. Two years ago, the state backed President Trump by eleven points—his best margin there in four decades—and Republicans thought it was locked down for the midterms. But according to Axios, the GOP is now scrambling across three critical races: a House candidate facing domestic abuse allegations, a Senate race that's unexpectedly competitive, and a governor's contest that's tighter than expected. In the House race in northeastern Ohio's seventh district, Representative Max Miller is dealing with allegations that he abused his ex-wife and daughter, charges he denies. Trump called Miller on Monday to express concern about his viability, telling him, "It's not looking good for you." Miller has refused to drop out, despite a Wednesday deadline for ballot replacement. Meanwhile, Republican Senator Jon Husted is running neck-and-neck against Democrat Sherrod Brown in the Senate race, with Brown outraising him nearly three to one. And in the governor's race, former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is locked in a tight contest with Democrat Amy Acton. Republicans now say they could lose seats they once considered safe—and they're worried Ohio's struggles could signal weakness in other Rust Belt battlegrounds.

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