Ohio Rep. Max Miller is betting a million dollars of his own money that he can survive domestic abuse allegations and a 14-point polling deficit, even as fellow Republicans, including his former father-in-law, publicly urge him to step aside.

Miller, a Republican congressman from Ohio, announced he will loan his reelection campaign $1 million in two installments of $500,000 each, rejecting calls to withdraw from the November ballot. The move comes as Ohio Sen. Bernie Moreno, Miller's former father-in-law, has publicly demanded that Miller resign and abandon his reelection bid. Other Republicans have echoed that demand.

Miller is not budging. "I am in this for the long haul," he said, adding: "I know there are some people that are concerned about my ability to win this race right now, but I don't share that."

The congressman denied the abuse claims, saying no court or government agency has substantiated accusations that he abused his former wife or daughter. But the clock is ticking. Ohio election officials have set a Monday deadline for Miller to withdraw and be replaced on the ballot. After that, his name stays on regardless of what happens next.

Court filings paint a grim picture Miller disputes

The allegations against Miller come from court filings and police reports brought by his ex-wife, Emily Moreno, the daughter of Sen. Bernie Moreno. She alleged that during their marriage, Miller threw hot water at her and pointed a gun at her head. She also alleged their young daughter's collarbone was broken while the child was in Miller's care.

Sen. Moreno has demanded Miller leave Congress over the allegations involving his own daughter. The family feud has spilled into public view in ways that go beyond policy disagreements, Moreno has also accused Miller of withholding his granddaughter's stuffed animal in what has become a bitter custody dispute.

Miller has denied all the abuse claims. No court or government agency has issued a finding against him on these accusations, according to his own account. But the allegations alone have created a political crisis that his million-dollar loan may not be enough to solve.

A 14-point deficit and a union ironworker waiting

The financial gamble looks steep against the polling. Democrat Brian Poindexter, a union ironworker, led Miller by 14 points in a recent poll, according to a post by reporter Shane Goldmacher. The poll's name, methodology, and sample size were not disclosed in the available reporting, so the margin deserves some caution. But a double-digit gap in any competitive district is the kind of number that keeps party strategists awake at night.

Meanwhile, the House Ethics Committee has stayed silent on the domestic violence allegations, offering neither clearance nor condemnation. That institutional silence leaves Miller in a gray zone: not formally accused by Congress, but not defended by it either.

Reports indicate that President Trump warned Miller during a phone call this week that winning reelection would be difficult. Trump has also reportedly told advisers privately that he believes Miller should step aside. But the president has not made any public call for Miller to end his campaign. The sources for those private conversations were not identified by name.

Monday's deadline forces the question

Ohio's election rules give Miller until Monday to withdraw and allow the party to replace him on the November ballot. If he stays past that deadline, and his $1 million loan suggests he will, Republicans in his district are locked in with him whether they like it or not.

That is the real bind. A contested seat that should be safely Republican could slip to a Democrat if voters decide the allegations outweigh the incumbent's denials. Poindexter does not need to be a household name; he just needs Miller's problems to keep making headlines. Ohio's congressional landscape is already unsettled, Rep. Marcy Kaptur's recent hospitalization after a hit-and-run crash in Toledo added another layer of uncertainty to the state's delegation.

Miller's supporters may see a fighter who refuses to be railroaded by unproven allegations. His critics, including members of his own party, see a candidate who is putting personal pride ahead of a winnable seat. Both sides will know the answer by Monday.

The Wall Street Journal reported on Miller's decision to fund his own campaign, underscoring how isolated the congressman has become within his own party's ranks. When a sitting Republican has to write seven-figure checks just to stay competitive in what should be friendly territory, the race has already gone sideways.

A million dollars buys a lot of ads. It does not buy back trust, and it does not answer the allegations that put Miller in this position in the first place.